Fans of EastEnders will know there hasn’t been much for poor Jay Brown to smile about recently. But actor Jamie Borthwick is taking a brief break from his heavy storylines for a joyous spin beneath the glitterballs — and he couldn’t be more excited to show off his moves in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2023 !
Speaking to What To Watch during training, Jamie is full of the spirit of the season, and looking forward to dancing his festive quickstep with partner Nancy Xu.
They’ll be up against the likes of BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent, TV historian Dan Snow and rugby player Danny Cipriani, as they hope their footwork might make the judges smile. Come on Craig, it’s Christmas!
Here, Jamie and Nancy reveal what we can expect from his performance and they tell us he’s been practising everywhere — from the set of EastEnders to the dance floor at his best friend’s wedding!
What made you sign up for Strictly this Christmas?
Jamie: "About a week before they asked me, a friend inspired me to made a pledge to stop saying no to things. I thought it was a good idea because I say no to everything — and then this opportunity came along, and it was the perfect time to put that into practice.
"Also, I absolutely love Christmas, and what could be more festive than being part of the Christmas Strictly special? So it was a no-brainer in the end, and it’s really nice to do a job that doesn’t involve crying every day and filming on hospital sets like I have been on EastEnders recently, it’s all about the Christmas spirit instead!"
Are you much of a dancer?
Jamie: "Well, I would definitely get up and dance at a party, but to nowhere near the technical standard required for Strictly, by no means am I a natural."
Nancy: "When we first met in training I was watching him jumping around and his moves made me laugh so much, I couldn’t stop. But I’ve had lots of fun with the choreography for our routine, because the Christmas special is less strict than the series and the quickstep is actually a very happy dance. I think Jamie is going to be really good on the night."
Jamie: "I’m a good student, so we’ll be fine! And we’re dancing to Shakin’ Stevens so we’re going to have a right laugh with it — I keep waking up singing that song! In terms of remembering the actual steps we’re OK, but I’m constantly asking Nancy about the finer details."
Have you thrown yourself into the training?
Jamie: "Yes, I managed to get a clear schedule from EastEnders for a few days so I could really rehearse the dance, and I go over the steps in my head all the time. I went to my best friend’s wedding the other day and I was even going over the routine on the dance floor there, grabbing whoever I could find to dance with!"
Have you had any tips from your EastEnders castmates who have danced on the show?
Jamie: "Bobby [Brazier] absolutely smashed it this series (Strictly Come Dancing 2023). He said the same as everyone else, which is that Strictly is an amazing experience, the people are wonderful and I should just enjoy it. I feel like I haven't got the pressure of the main competition, so I’ve got a free pass to have a good time. Everyone speaks so highly of the show, and I definitely understand the thrill of dancing among the pros, I’ve really had the best time so far. Emma Barton said to me, 'Just you wait until it’s time for a spray tan!' I told her I didn’t want one, but once you enter the Strictly bubble you think, 'Why not?!'"
Would you consider signing up for the full series next year?
Nancy: "He definitely should!"
Jamie: "I know I’ll feel a massive low when we finish, and I’ll be sad it’s over, but I don’t think I could cope with the pressure of the main competition. The Christmas special doesn’t feel competitive at all, there’s such a lovely atmosphere and we’ve all clicked as a group, it’s brilliant to be part of."
Are you prepared for the judges to be mean like Ebenezer Scrooge?!
Jamie: "Absolutely, I actually think I will feel a bit hard done by if I don’t get some verbal abuse from Craig — I’ll feel odd if he’s too nice to me!"
Nancy: "It’s Christmas, so I don’t think they’ll be as harsh as usual! This episode is just about fun, and giving happiness to everyone watching. It’s such an amazing feeling being part of it, everyone involved is just enjoying it and there’s pure happiness on their faces."
How will you celebrate Christmas this year?
Nancy: "I don’t celebrate many of the usual traditions, but we’ll have a really nice dinner, and me, my partner and [Strictly pro] Carlos [Gu] are planning to go on holiday to Tenerife!"
Jamie: "I couldn’t go away for Christmas, I need to be in England in the cold! I absolutely love Christmas: the build-up, the hustle and bustle, all the traditions… I love being in the shops at this time of year and going to the pantomime. I’ve had Heart Christmas on the radio since the end of October, honestly, I love it! I’ll drive everyone mad on Christmas Day as I’ll be on TV twice with Strictly and EastEnders!"
The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2023 will air at 4.40 pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day.
