Strictly Come Dancing contestant Jaime Winstone has opened up about how her father, actor Ray Winstone, helped restore her confidence after she repeatedly landed in the dance-off. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk during a break from rehearsals for the Halloween show on Saturday, October 31, the 35-year-old actress admitted the competition had left her mentally and physically drained.
Feeling Vulnerable on the Show
"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."
Despite receiving strong scores from the judges and regularly placing around the middle of the leaderboard, Jaime and her professional partner Carlos Gu have repeatedly found themselves in the dance-off. "It's strange when you're still getting kind of good marks, you start thinking maybe the public just doesn't like me," she added.
Father's Advice and Family Support
"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'," she revealed.
Sitting alongside Carlos, last year's Strictly winner, Jaime said her parents, Ray and Elaine, have been hugely supportive of her and her dance partner, having taken a particular liking to him. "[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," she said.
"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."
Embracing the Dancefloor
Sharing her philosophy, 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."
Having first come to public attention in the 2000s as an 'it' girl on London's club scene, Jaime is also embracing the opportunity to return to the dancefloor. "I learnt how to dance on dance floors and in raves, and that's one of the best parts of our British culture," she said.
"I'm very comfortable dancing on stage amongst a load of queens," she laughed. "That is my safe ground, and that is a sense of freedom, where you grow as a human. You can be the weirdest and most fabulous person [in that environment], and you're celebrated for it."
"I still do it on my own. I go out, put a hood up, and I dance on my own because it's really important to who I am. Now I'm doing it on live television, and there are steps involved. I've done this dance for years, but I just haven't done it like this. So it's beautiful. It's two worlds colliding for me, and I'm really enjoying that."
