Strictly Come Dancing Jason Donovan: 'Dad says I have two left feet'

Jason Donovan is set to add dancing to his CV when he teams up with Kristina Rihanoff to compete against the new batch of celebrity hoofers as Strictly Come Dancing (Friday, September 30, BBC1 HD, 9pm). We caught up with him for a few pointers...

I agreed to do Strictly because I wanted to go outside my comfort zone and hopefully get fit at the same time...
My father says I have two left feet, and this is the perfect opportunity to prove him wrong. I believe a person can succeed at almost anything for which they have unlimited enthusiasm, but a good suntan also helps.

I’m looking forward to the Strictly experience...
Spray tans, Craig Revel Horwood, bring ’em on! No waxing, though. I think I will stick with the masculine, hairy chest for those open-shirted Latin numbers and remain true to the real me.

Because I'm in the theatre, people will think dancing is just part of the whole package...
But I've never had any formal training in movement. Having spent nearly 18 months playing a drag queen in Priscilla on the West End stage, I’m certainly not afraid of the odd sequin here and there!

Usually when I go on stage it’s for up to two hours...
A dance on this show only lasts about a couple of minutes and it’s quite hard to get into anything in that time, so you’ve got to admire what these professional dancers do. By the same token, they’ve got to admire what we do.

My friend Gary Barlow is a massive fan of Strictly...
I think he secretly fancies himself in sequins with a spray tan and a bit of waxing. He can throw some good shapes. He’ll definitely be watching, but also avoiding telling me the truth at all costs.

Nothing has ever come naturally to me...
Whether it’s acting or singing, I have had to work hard all my life, and I still work hard. If that leads to good results, so be it.

People call me a heart-throb...
I’m a father of three, so I would argue those days are gone. But if that’s what people think, great, I don’t mind.