Strictly out to rule the dancefloor... The secrets of the Come Dancing team

Time to tango: The Strictly Come Dancing team get ready to do battle
11 April 2012
The Weekender

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Family feuds, gay rumours, Big Mac diets and a secret passion for John Sergeant's 'chubby chops' - we lay bare the secrets of the celebrities' TV dance partners

Hayley Holt
Hayley, 27, is from New Zealand.
SHE SAYS
I'm quite well known in New Zealand as I took part in the Kiwi version of Strictly, but I'm bowled over by how popular the show is - it's going to be quite a ride.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I used to be a professional snowboarder.
DANCE PARTNER
Swimmer Mark Foster, 38.

Time to tango: The Strictly Come Dancing team get ready to do battle

Time to tango: The Strictly Come Dancing team get ready to do battle

James Jordan
James, 35, is married to his dance partner Ola and lives in Kent.
HE SAYS
I love unhealthy food, such as Big Macs and pizzas - I go to McDonald's or Burger King for lunch most days. And I love chocolate and Coca Cola - it drives Ola mad.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I love poker.
DANCE PARTNER
Actor Cherie Lunghi, 56.

Gary Rhodes with his dance partner Karen Hardy

Gary Rhodes with his dance partner Karen Hardy

Ian Waite
Ian, 32, is single and lives in Reading.
HE SAYS
It was my parents divorce that led me to becoming a dancer. My dad took ballroom lessons and met his second wife, who owns a dance school.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I'm a good artist and have won competitions.
DANCE PARTNER
Model Jodie Kidd, 30.

Erin Boag
Erin, 33, lives in Surrey with her fiancé
SHE SAYS
I love doing up houses with my partner. I'm handy with a drill. I'd love to see John Sergeant win - I love his chubby chops.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I have terrible cellulite on my bottom.
DANCE PARTNER
Former rugby player Austin Healey, 35.

Ola Jordan
Ola, 26, was raised in Poland and is married to James Jordan.
SHE SAY
I adore wave boarding. James and I have a speedboat, called Dirty Dancer.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I put James on a no sex ban during the last series.
DANCE PARTNER
GMTV presenter and former tennis player Andrew Castle, 44.

Karen Hardy
Karen, 38, is married with a three-year-old son, Callum.
SHE SAYS
Retiring from profesional dancing in1999 was like a death to me. Taking part in Strictly let me enjoy dancing again.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
My mother-in-law taught Brendan to dance.
DANCE PARTNER
Chef Gary Rhodes, 48.

Lisa Snowdon and dance partner Brendan Cole

Lisa Snowdon and dance partner Brendan Cole

Brendan Cole
Kiwi Brendan, 32, who was engaged to Camilla, has been linked to a string of famous women.
HE SAYS
I loved dancing as a child but didn't want to be called gay, like my brother - at 16 I wanted to be a builder.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I often make my own dance outfits.
DANCE PARTNER
Lisa Snowdon, 37.

Anton Du Beke
Anton, 42, is single and lives in central London.
HE SAYS
I started dancing at 14. My alcoholic father gave me a hard time. I'm glad he didn't live to see how successful I've become - he would have been vile about it.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
My real name is Anthony Beak.
DANCE PARTNER
Gillian Taylforth, 53.

Flavia Cacace
Flavia, 28, was born in Italy. She lives in Surrey and has a boyfriend, but won't say his name.
SHE SAYS
I got into dancing after my family moved to the UK when I was four and Mum wanted us to have a hobby. Ballroom lessons were only £1 an hour.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I play the violin.
DANCE PARTNER
Actor Phil Daniels, 50.

Darren Bennett
Darren, 31, is married to fellow dancer Lilia Kopylova, lives in Surrey.
HE SAYS
Lilia and I have stopped competing professionally, so I'm looking for a hobby. I love to cook to relax - I'm great at Italian food.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
My twin brother, Dale, is a professional dancer, too.
DANCE PARTNER
Jessie Wallace, 37.

Heather Small and Brian Fortuna

Heather Small and Brian Fortuna

Brian Fortuna
American Brian, 30, is single and lives in central London.
HE SAYS
I'm the new boy on the show and am terrified of screwing it up - there is so much pressure, I don't know how the celebrities cope.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I appeared in The Aviator with Leonardo di Caprio.
DANCE PARTNER
Singer Heather Small, 43.

Matthew Cutler
Matthew, 35, won last year's show with singer singer Alesha Dixon.
HE SAYS
became very fond of Alesha. When we won, she flung her arms around me and said, 'I love you.' It doesn't get much better than that.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I worked in a bank.
DANCE PARTNER
The One Show presenter Christine Bleakley, 28.

Kristina Rhinaoff
Russian-born Kristina, 29, now lives in LA.
SHE SAYS
Appearing on the TV news with my partner John Sergeant was incredible. I thought, 'All of the UK is watching us!'
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I had to look up all the Strictly celebrities on the internet to find out who they were.
DANCE PARTNER
John Sergeant, 64.

Vincent Simone
Italian Vincent, 29, split up with Flavia last year
HE SAYS
I am a flirt, but I'm harmless. All the attention Flavia and I received last year was hard, but we're still friends.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
My favourite film really is Dirty Dancing.
DANCE PARTNER
Former S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens, 30.

Lilia Kopylova
Russian Lilia, 30, is married to dance partner Darren Bennett.
SHE SAYS
Dancing was my way out of Soviet Russia, and my parents really encouraged me.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I was a junior champion ice skater at the age of nine.
DANCE PARTNER
Rising Damp star Don Warrington, 56.

Camilla Dallerup
Danish Camilla, 34, was engaged to Brendan, but now dates Hollyoaks actor Kevin Sacre.
SHE SAYS
Brendan and I were together for eight years, but since we split up we no longer dance together.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I do motivational speaking and am an after-dinner speaker.
DANCE PARTNER
Actor Tom Chambers, 31.

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