Angela Scanlon opens up about 'hardcore' Strictly experience

Virgin Radio

9 Jul 2024, 11:18

Angela Scanlon has opened up about her “hardcore” but “magical” Strictly Come Dancing experience.

Speaking with Caroline Hirons on her Glad We Had This Chat podcast, the Virgin Radio weekend breakfast show host opened up in detail about her Strictly experience.

“Honestly, it was one of the most magical things I've ever done,” Angela, who was paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu for her time on the 2023 series, shared.

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But she also stressed: “It was hardcore. And I felt like I had been, you know, like a cloth wrung out and, you know, spat out the other side… Even in the moment, I knew how significant it was, really on a lot of different levels.”

“I went into it like, selfishly,” she added, although she clarified it was “a personal thing” more than a “career move”. She explained: “Obviously, there's very few shows that give you that amount of exposure and eyes and all of that stuff, so I was aware of that, but it was very much: 'Okay, I could go in and be absolutely s***, and I'm okay with that.'”

But Angela later admitted one of the more difficult parts of the experience was dealing with self doubt about her dancing ability. Despite making it through to the show’s quarterfinals, she shared: “I don't know that I ever knew I wasn't [bad]. I have never watched my exit dance…

“There was a lot of self doubt that came to the surface, a lot of emotions and habits and beliefs that I was kind of aware that are there that I mask a lot of the time, and that sometimes I don't feel at all.”

Joking about this looking back, she added: “I thought ‘Oh my God, this is going to be like having a big old therapy session in front of 10 million people.’ In hindsight I could have done that privately, but look, it’s more fun!”

Listen to Angela Scanlon on Virgin Radio UK this Monday-Thursday on The Ryan Tubridy Show from 10am-1pm, and every weekend from 7-10am.