Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Gethin Jones has revealed that he wanted to leave the show the moment he stepped onto the dancefloor for his first performance. The BBC presenter, best known for hosting Blue Peter, joined the competition in 2007 for its fifth series and was paired with professional dancer Camilla Dallerup.
Nerves Despite Familiar Surroundings
Gethin initially felt at ease because Strictly was filmed at the BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, the same location where he regularly presented Blue Peter. That confidence faded quickly when he realised that performing a cha-cha was a very different challenge from presenting a children's television show.
"I remember doing Strictly for the first time, and it was done in exactly the same studio as Blue Peter, where I was working every day," Gethin told the Daily Express. "I was doing the same journey in, seeing the same people as you walk in, same environment, same changing rooms, everything."
First Dance Panic
He continued: "Guess what's different? I was doing a cha-cha-cha and I absolutely s**t myself. I remember genuinely saying to Camilla, when I heard them welcome us, I want to leave. I literally wanted to leave. But she grabbed my hand, and the next two and a half minutes of my life were a complete blur."
Despite the nerves, Gethin soon found his feet and thought he was performing well. "I genuinely thought it was brilliant when I was doing it," he recalled. "I genuinely thought in my head halfway through, I'm nailing this. This could be the first 10 in week one ever."
A Low Score and a Lasting Legacy
His confidence was shaken when judge Craig Revel Horwood held up the four paddle. "I had to do that weird grimace on your face where you pretend that you're happy, but actually, big time, you're dying," he confessed. Watching it back, he understood the low score. "All the steps were in the right place, but my body wasn't feeling it," he laughed. "My body was just like a robot. It was awful."
His cha-cha earned him 22 points out of a possible 40, but he went on to reach the semi-final, describing his time on Strictly as "the best experience". The show also had a lasting impact on his nephew, Alby, who was born shortly before Gethin joined. Nineteen years on, Alby still reacts whenever he hears the Strictly theme tune. "He was so young, and my sister used to dress him in the sequin colour I was wearing that weekend. Strictly was synonymous with him. My sister loved it, and the family loved it. It was just the best series," Gethin added.
