EastEnders' James Bye says he has received Strictly advice from Rose Ayling-Ellis.
Fellow soap stars Jake Wood, Davood Ghadami and Scott Maslen have also offered up their guidance as he prepares to hit the dance floor.
James, who has played Martin Fowler in the hit-BBC soap since 2014, joins the star-studded line-up for this year's Strictly Come Dancing.
The 38-year-old says he has already been thrown "straight in at the deep end" ahead of the show's delayed launch later this month.
Bosses decided to push back the programme following the death of Her Majesty The Queen – with its launch now planned for Friday, September 23 at 7pm on BBC One.
James says he's taking part in the show to "learn how to dance" and that he already "took so much" from the professionals during rehearsals.
Speaking of Rose's historic win last year, he said: "We’ve talked about it and she just told me to enjoy myself. I’m not competitive – so as long as I beat Rose I’m not fussed [laughs]!"
He says co-stars Jake, Davood and Scott have all just told him 'enjoy himself' and "embrace everything from the beginning" because "you never know when it’s going to end".
James is still filming EastEnders alongside his work on Strictly, but insists producers have been "kind" and "quietened" his schedule down.
"We shoot over the road, so it’s not too bad travelling backwards and forwards," he told New! magazine. "And my partner has said she’s there at my beck and call, so when I finish filming she’s there and we go into whichever studio’s closest and practise."
Admitting he's had to raise his fitness regime in preparation for Strictly, he added: "I'm pushing 40, so I had to. I started in January – I got into the gym.
"I just wanted to do my partner proud and to be able to lift her up if she wants me to. I don’t know if I can yet."
Speaking of his three boys, he says none of them are interested in Strictly, but he plans to turn them into "super-fans" before the end of the series.
"They don’t really know what they’re in for. They just think it’s funny that I’m going to be wearing tights and glitter," he added.
