Drag superstar La Voix, a current contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, has exclusively revealed her ambitions for a future television presenting career, while reflecting on her transformative journey on the hit BBC show.
From the Ballroom to the Presenter's Sofa
La Voix, the celebrated stage persona of Chris Dennis, admitted that the prospect of one day stepping into the shoes of hosts like Tess Daly or Claudia Winkleman is incredibly exciting. Having won over viewers with her sharp wit and hilarious one-liners, she sees a natural progression.
"Strictly is the golden show of the BBC and I think anyone who's in the presenting world is going to want to do that show," she stated. "Of course, if the opportunity arose and I was asked to do it, I'm not going to say no, am I? That would be the opportunity of a lifetime."
However, the performer is currently focused on the immediate task at hand, adding with characteristic humour, "I was very focused on making it very clear that I wanted that a few weeks ago. But now I think I need to buckle down and get the dancing learned - otherwise, I might be out quicker than I get the interview."
A Landmark Presence on Mainstream TV
La Voix is also deeply conscious of her role as a prominent drag act on primetime television. She connected her appearance to a rich history of beloved comedy characters, helping to normalise and celebrate the art form for family audiences.
"There's a lot of people who grew up with Lily Savage, Dame Edna Everage and also people like Mrs Merton," she reflected. "Sometimes people see it as a risk, but it's been done in the past and it was a golden age of television and it'd be wonderful to see that come back."
The Rollercoaster Ride to Blackpool
Her Strictly experience has been an emotional one, culminating in a nerve-shredding dance-off last week. La Voix confessed she was convinced her time was up. "I thought, 'Well, this is it. I'm going home.' And I stood on that dance floor just before we did our final dance... and I thought, 'This is the last time I'm going to see all of this'. To be saved by the judges genuinely shocked me to the core."
Now, with the legendary Blackpool Tower Ballroom special in her sights for week eight, her goal is to merge her technical skills with her innate comedic flair. "I think if I do get to Blackpool, I want to really hone in on my strength, which is the comedy, the bravado, the big, larger than life bubbly character."
She acknowledges she has already surpassed her own expectations, having initially believed she would be eliminated in October. "To still be in on week eight and looking at Blackpool is mind-blowing for me... I'm having the time of my life and I'm finding it all very healing strangely, from having had a lack of self-belief."
Looking ahead, she is driven to go as far as possible. "I'd love to make the quarters, semi, or grand final. And I think it's so close, I'm driven to see if I could actually get there."
This week's performance is especially meaningful. She and partner Aljaž Škorjanec will perform a Couples' Choice routine to Don't Rain on My Parade. La Voix shared a touching personal connection to the song: "When I was a kid, my Dad used to love Barbra Streisand and all these big icons. And that's where my love of music and singing came from. For this, we're channelling that song as my sort of childhood passion."
