Strictly Come Dancing Russell Grant: 'They've taken my trousers in 5in!'

Strictly Come Dancing's unlikeliest hero Russell Grant tells TV Times magazine about losing weight, astrology and working for TV Times...

How have you been enjoying being a part of Strictly Come Dancing?
“It’s fabulous. I work as hard as I possibly can and what I can’t do in dance I will do in performance. Our costume designer said most of her rhinestone budget goes on me!”

Is it a surprise to see how much support you’re getting from the public?
“Every week is just awesome for me and I cannot believe how wonderful the British public have been towards me. It’s a good job astrology isn’t about predictions because if it was I think I would have been scared stiff!”

And what about your former job as TV Times' astrologer?
“I always had a lovely time at TV Times, it was a very happy period. I’ve got all my TV Times covers in my office, looking extremely young and thin – those were the days, my friend!”

How do you get on with the other Strictly contestants?
“Anita are I are like a couple of old girls, we text each other constantly. Lulu’s my oldest celebrity friend and Jason is just the kindest, loveliest man. I haven’t got a bad word to say about any of my lovely new friends, they’re all so supportive and kind.”

You lost an impressive 10 stone before signing up for the show. Is the weight still falling off?
“Yes! They had to take my trousers in by five inches after about a month of training, which has amazed me. Fitness was one of the reasons I did Strictly. I appeared on Celebrity Fit Club in 2006 and I lost weight, but hated the gym.”