Strictly Come Dancing star Jaime Winstone has admitted her professional partner Carlos Gu acts as her "full-time therapist" as the BBC show intensifies. Speaking ahead of the Halloween weekend show, the 35-year-old actress said it takes a team to prepare for the competition and that last year's winner is central to helping her cope.
Respect for professional dancers
"[This is] another string to my bow of what I can do because I love performing. My respect for dancers and performers that do this day in day out, especially the professionals, this is no joke," she said. "We are relying on so many people, like the physios, to keep us in real top-notch condition, so we can go out there and do it."
"And Carlos is my full-time therapist," she joked. "No, but he's just so supportive," she added. "They're [dancers] true artists. I'm so in awe of them, and I think my dad, as an actor, is also [in awe]."
"You know we're all artists in different types of the industry, and it's just a mutual level of respect. Like it's just through the roof."
Facing the dance-off
Despite receiving strong scores from the judges and regularly placing around the middle of the leaderboard, Jaime and Carlos have repeatedly found themselves in the dance-off, including the most recent one. The star admitted the experience has left her confidence shaken.
"I'm showing signs of vulnerability that I didn't have on my bingo list this year," she confessed. "The judges are giving us notes, and we're taking them on board," Jaime said. "For me, it's like a director. You just want good feedback."
"It's strange when you're still getting kind of good marks, you start thinking maybe the public just doesn't like me."
Support from her father
Her father, actor Ray Winstone, offered words of encouragement. "But at the end of the day, my dad's like: 'You're doing this for yourself… to show another side of you. You can't be everybody's cup of tea, but you can be someone's shot of whiskey'."
Sitting alongside Carlos, she revealed that her parents, Ray and Elaine, have been hugely supportive of her and her dance partner. "[Dad] is very aware of what Strictly is. It's such a beast when it comes to the physicality and the amount of yourself you're giving. He's super, super proud."
"My mum and dad are super proud of Carlos and me. They really took a liking to Carlos, and they know that he's just bringing out the best in me. They're fully supportive."
Sharing her approach, Jaime added: "If you try to please everyone, you're going to lose yourself in the process. So I've got to just lean into who I am and what I do and what makes us shine and enjoy dancing."
