Nicola Roberts says Girls Aloud past makes her 'slow' to learn Strictly moves

Nicola Roberts says being in Girls Aloud has made her slow to learn her Strictly dance.

The singer appears on the Christmas Day BBC special and says she wanted to take on a challenge that felt like “adult soft play”.

She was part of the band formed on ITV ’s Popstars: The Rivals in 2002, alongside Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Kimberley Walsh and the late Sarah Harding. Kimberley was on Strictly in 2012.

Nicola, 37, partnered with Giovanni Pernice, 32, says of learning dances: “My process is quite slow.

“When you’re in a band you have weeks to perfect a two-hour show.

Nicola Roberts discusses the difficulties of learning a Strictly dance (BBC/Guy Levy)

“There’ll be some certain numbers that you pick up quickly or the numbers that might take a good couple of weeks to really sink in, and that’s my process.

“That’s how I’ve learned over the years. Obviously, Strictly, you don’t have the luxury of having time.

“It wasn’t until after the fourth session that I felt like we were in a good space. Before that I was kind of like beating myself up and not understanding the routine, not grasping the technical aspects.

The former Girls Aloud singer says her time in the girlband has got her into the habit of learning routines 'slowly' (Getty Images)

“The position is still not there every time and it’s a lot to think about so it’s been very fast but I like to be professional and I like to do a good job, and I’ve had a great time!”

She adds that she spent so long as a member of a girlband that she ended up “girlbandified”.

Nicola says: “Then you step out of that world and you learn how to be you without all of that.

“Now I’m back in the machine just for a couple of weeks where I’m being plied with glitter and sequined dresses and dressed as Santa’s helper... and I said I wanted fun, and it has been fun.”

Nicola, who is paired with Giovanni Pernice, says the experience has been 'fun' (BBC/Guy Levy)

The BBC show's former pro dancer AJ Pritchard claims there is no such thing as the Strictly Curse (2020 Dave J Hogan)

Meanwhile, former dancer AJ Pritchard, 28, claims there is no such thing as the Strictly Curse.

AJ, who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019, maintains that only marriages already floundering are put in jeopardy by one partner spending weeks in close proximity to a toned professional dancer.

He told Vicky Pattison’s The Secret To podcast: “If there’s a small crack in that relationship already...

“Someone is being paid to hold the door, carry your bags, make you feel like your life is perfect, make you feel like a god...”

Muddling his words, he added: “So you might think it is greener on the other side of the grass.”