Comedian Ellie Taylor is one of 15 contestants on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
While she is known best for comedy, the 38-year-old has also enjoyed a diverse career in presenting, acting and writing.
Originally from Brentwood in Essex, Taylor began modelling after being spotted while working as an intern.
Deciding it was not for her, she started doing stand-up comedy during her mid-twenties, citing comedians like Victoria Wood as early influences.
Since then, Taylor has appeared in several TV series including 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week and Plebs.
She’s also presented shows including Snog Marry Avoid? and did a stint of hosting on Heart Radio, regularly filling in for Emma Bunton.
Taylor is a regular on Live At The Apollo and has appeared both as a performer and a host.
Outside of comedy and acting, her debut book, My Child and Other Mistakes, was published in 2021, and recently became a Sunday Times Best Seller.
Taylor is competing on Strictly with Johannes Radebe.
On whether she has any dancing experience, Taylor said: “I retired from tap and ballet dancing aged seven, so aside from doing some sort of macarena mini disco on European holidays with my child, no!”
Speaking about whether she’s been preparing in any way for Strictly, she said: “Mostly sort of just panicking and staring at a wall wondering what on earth I’ve done! I’ve also been watching old episodes, which has been useful to try and get my mind in the right mindset.
“But I feel like doing Strictly is a bit like having a child. You can imagine what it might be like but you won’t actually know how wild it is until it starts. So basically, this is just me crowning at the moment!”
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday 24 September at 6.45pm on BBC One.
