Angela Scanlon jokes she’s ‘furious’ Strictly tour won’t go to Dublin

By Laura Harding, PA Deputy Entertainment Editor

Angela Scanlon has joked she is “furious” the Strictly Come Dancing live tour is not going to Dublin or Belfast as she would be a “shoo-in” to win.

The Irish TV presenter (40) will reunite with her professional partner Carlos Gu for the tour, which kicks off in Birmingham on Friday.

However, she has said she is not sure if she is ready for the physical undertaking, telling ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Can I ever be ready? Bit like childbirth and Strictly, strap in and hope for the best!”

Scanlon previously described doing the jive as harder than childbirth and she took to the Strictly dancefloor just 18 months after she welcomed her second daughter.

She said: “It was a big part of the motivation for me, the physicality of it.

“I used to be super fit and after having my two girls, I was more gentle and did things that were more chill physically, apart from the birthing of the pair of them.

“So I quite fancied the idea of doing something that pushed me physically, but the jive… I mean sucker punch as it was week two and I hadn’t built up the stamina or fitness, but it was a ferocious jive, it was intense.

“I feel really proud and there was a sense of reminding myself of my strength beforehand. But what I hadn’t banked on was the emotional journey, the physicality was what I was fixated on and the rest of it was a cherry on the top.”

The glitterball trophy will be up for grabs every night of the UK tour and said his partner “totally” deserves it.

Scanlon joked: “We’re not going to Belfast or Dublin though, we’re absolutely furious as that would have been a shoo in!”

Scanlon was the ninth celebrity to be axed from the competition last year and missed out on dancing in the quarter-finals.

However she did make it Blackpool and still watches the video of her Argentine Tango when she needs a mood boost.

She said: “When I’m a bit down, I watch the Argentine tango on YouTube. I loved the dance. It was a perfect moment in the competition where my blisters had healed and my feet weren’t sore anymore.

“It was just magic, honestly to do it in Blackpool, which was so hyped and so big. Everything was really big and it was this intimate performance. It was lovely.

“The jump with the big lift, it was supposed to be very different. I’d hurt my ribs and almost dislocated Carlos’ jaw and so we had to do a slight last-minute change but I think it worked out for the best.”

The tour will also feature Coronation Street star Ellie Leach, who became the competition’s youngest winner in December after she beat Layton Williams and Bobby Brazier in the final.

It kicks off in Birmingham before visiting Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham and London.