Lauren Oakley admits ‘this might be controversial’ as she addresses ‘pressure’ of BBC Strictly stint
BBC Strictly pro Lauren Oakley has made a candid admission about her preparation for the hotly anticipated finale this Saturday.
Oakley, 33, stepped in to replace Amy Dowden as the partner to celeb contestant and former JLS star JB Gill.
Dowden, 34, was forced to pull out of the competition following Halloween Week after suffering a medical episode and ankle injury.
Since their first dance in Week Seven, Oakley and Gill have gone from strength to strength.
The pair have topped the judge’s leaderboard several times and have avoided the dreaded dance-off.
“The vibes are immaculate,” Oakley says of their pairing, adding that their journey has been “Delightful and exciting”.
The 34-year-old told the BBC that getting to the final was “one of my career highlights” and that it “meant everything” for her to help Gill get there.
“I want him to be proud of himself and I want his family and his kids to be proud of him. I know it means the world to him and therefore it means the world to me,” she explained.
The dancer admitted the personal significance of the finale also added to the “pressure” of competing.
To deal with the stress, Oakley proposed a method she concedes “might be a bit controversial”.
“Don’t take it too seriously,” she advised.
“You dance better when you’re yourself and you’re not thinking too much,” Oakley explained.
The 34-year-old observed: “When somebody is finding the lighter side of the training and performance… people dance better.”
“If you take that pressure away and enjoy it for what it is, then you’ll be the best version of your dancing self,” Oakley concludes.
Gill may require some convincing as the former JLS star declared he is focusing on achieving peak physical fitness ahead of the finale.
“Prepare your body! Make sure you get yourself as fit as you can and just be prepared for the body to go through lots of different changes,” he said emphatically when asked about his own preparations.
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Oakley and Gill will hope to impress with three routines on Saturday.
The pair will dance a Viennese Waltz to Let’s Go Fly A Kite from Mary Poppins and a Show Dance to a Motown Medley as chosen by the judges.
They both also chose to perform their sensational Week Ten Samba to Mas Que Nada by Sergio Mendes.