In the midst of rehearsals, Jodie Ounsley faced an unimaginable loss.

Jodie is to perform in Strictly’s Christmas Special this year. (Image: BBC)

Jodie Ounsley has said taking part in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special became a way of honouring her father, after his sudden death left her questioning whether she could go on. The 24-year-old athlete, known to viewers as Fury on the BBC’s Gladiators had been preparing for the festive show with professional dancer Neil Jones when her father died unexpectedly, aged 56.

He passed away while hiking Pen-y-Ghent in the Yorkshire Dales — a walk he had completed many times before. Ounsley shared the news publicly on December 1, posting a tribute on Instagram.“He had hiked that peak countless times throughout his life, but none of us knew he wouldn’t walk back down that day.”

Jodie shared a photo with her late dad on Instagram. (Image: INSTAGRAM)

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At the time, she was already in rehearsals for Strictly, having been announced as part of the Christmas line-up alongside Scarlett Moffatt, Brian McFadden, Nicholas Bailey, Babatunde Aléshé and Melanie Blatt.

She later admitted the loss left her unsure whether she was emotionally able to continue. Speaking to The Mirror, Ounsley said she was deeply conflicted about what to do. “I was in two minds about whether to go ahead,” she said. “But my dad was so excited to come and watch, and he supported me in everything.”

It was her mother who ultimately encouraged her not to step away, as she added: “I think if my mum had not encouraged me to carry on, I wouldn’t have. It sounds cheesy, but he was literally my hero.”

She described her father as a constant presence in her life, both personally and professionally. “We trained together all the time. He’d just be there any day if I needed help. It’s weird because on the inside I am heartbroken, but people like Neil and the guys at Strictly are just putting a smile on my face.”

She also remembered how her father reacted when she first told him she had been cast.

“At first he was a bit like, ‘What, dancing?!’” she said. “But that’s why he was excited. It was so different for me. He thought it would be a great chance to try something new and challenge myself.”