Strictly Come Dancing’s Balvinder Sopal has admitted she has found it difficult adjusting to performing as herself on the BBC show. The 46-year-old EastEnders actress, who plays Suki Panesar in the soap, has been used to having a character in shows throughout her career. But this is the first time she has undertaken something where she is not playing a role.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk in advance of the show on Saturday, October 18, she confessed she finds it “exposing and vulnerable.” She told us: “I wasn’t prepared for it. And I think it’s such an exposing and vulnerable place to be. I know people say you’re an actor when you can put on the acting and all that kind of stuff, which is grand and I can do.
Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon were in the dance off with Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova (Image: BBC)
“But if I don’t know what I’m doing holistically, that’s like from head to toe, the character isn’t really going to come, so it has to essentially be me. And also, there’s not enough time to find characters because you’re just about learning the dance moves or the steps,” she said.
“So it’s very scary putting myself out there because you throw yourself into an arena of judgment and criticism and projection. But the one thing I have to keep coming back to is that I wanted to do this. It was a dream of mine. I’ve wanted to do it for years.
“A little bit of criticism or social media or whatever isn’t going to get in the way of trying to have a good time. I’ve got a brilliant partner. I’m in an amazing building with such brilliant people like, and then we get to dance on that amazing floor that everybody recognises
“So why wouldn’t I want to soak it up? Why wouldn’t I want to just enjoy it? Yes, sure, it’s exposing. It’s scary, but that’s what it’s about, isn’t it? You learn so much about yourself,” she said.
The EastEnders star admitted to feeling ‘exposed’ on the show (Image: Getty)
Her remarks came after she and her professional partner Julian Callion found themselves in the dance-off with Lorraine star Ross King and his partner Jowita Pryzstal following the October 11 show. Despite keeping their place in the competition, the pair would once again find themselves in that unenviable position following the latest episode on Saturday, October 18.
On the results show on Sunday, October 19, as many of Balvinder’s EastEnders castmates looked on, it was announced they were in the bottom two alongside rugby hero Chris Robshaw and his professional dance partner, Nadiya Bychkova.
Chris and Nadiya once again performed their Salsa to Maria by Ricky Martin, while Balvinder and Julian got a second chance at their Paso Doble to Diablo Rojo by Rodrigo y Gabriela.
The judges were split, with Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke voting to save Chris and Nadiya. But it was this week’s head judge, Craig Revel Horwood, opting to save Balvinder and Julian that meant the former rugby player would be leaving the competition and Balvinder survived to dance another day.
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