Dani Dyer has revealed that the stress of performing live on Strictly Come Dancing makes her feel like she is going to be sick every time she dances, and that her partner Nikita Kuzmin is helping her manage the anxiety.
The 30-year-old admitted she struggles to contain her nerves in the lead up to each performance. Asked about appearing on the BBC series, Dani said: "I love it. But the nerves, I've never felt a nerve like it in my life."
She added: "Like I have never, I've never wanted to be sick so much. You know, that feeling like you're heaving. I just feel like my brain goes into shock when I'm dancing on the live."
Breathing Exercises and Going On Late
Dani said it was "worse" to go on late in the shows and that she prefers being one of the first to perform. She credited her partner for his support, saying: "Nikita is amazing, he does all these things like breathing exercises. Because I'm terrible at that sort of stuff."
She described the routine before taking the stage: "The breathing just before we're going on the stage, he puts you in a bubble. People were like don't let Strictly consume you, I'm consumed."
Returning After Injury
Appearing on the Women's Health podcast Just As Well, Dani said she is giving it everything she can this year. She is competing after fracturing her ankle during a quickstep rehearsal, which saw her pull out of the 2025 show at the last minute.
She said: "I just want to go out there and have the best, because I'm really not a dancer. So you just put your hours in and just really go for it. It's like a once in a lifetime opportunity, I want to go out there and do my best."
Judges' Comments and Family Motivation
The mum-of-three added that she was not the most confident person but did not want her children to be the same when they grew up, and was instilling in them self worth. Dani, who is married to West Ham star Jarrod Bowen, is also trying not to take the judges' comments to heart when they are negative.
She said: "You work all hours and it is difficult, I think, when you're being judged because you sort of forget that…and if you've worked so hard and they might not agree with it. There is so much that goes into it. I was like 'how do I do it all?'. It is difficult. But I am so in the zone, I don't remember a thing."
Dani and Nikita will be back on the Strictly dancefloor on Saturday night in a Halloween episode. They scored 31 for their salsa last weekend and are amongst the bookmakers' favourites to win.
