‘Mum and Dad are very protective of me'

Tilly Ramsay, daughter of sharp-tongued TV chef Gordon, talks swapping textbooks forthe tango as she competes in this year’s Strictly

- CHRISTINE SMITH

While most students are typically out partying, especially during their first term at university, Tilly Ramsay likes to be tucked up in bed at 8pm with a cuppa. The first-year psychology undergraduate is juggling lectures with taking part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing – the show’s first university student.

The daughter of TV chef Gordon Ramsay, 19-year-old Tilly has never had professional dance training, but is hoping to go as far as she can in the series.

Partnered with new professional dancer, Nikita Kuzmin, 23, who is originally from the Ukraine but grew up in Italy, Tilly is sticking to a healthy regime to ensure she gives the show her best shot. “I’d have been crazy to say no to Strictly. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’ve got the rest of my university course to go out,” she says.

Readily admitting her famous dad has two left feet, here Tilly – who first found TV fame at the age of 13 with her own CBBC cookery series, Matilda And The Ramsay Bunch – chats about Gordon’s reaction when she told him she was taking part. She also talks about how she is getting on with Nikita, coping with online trolls and how she shaped up for the show…

Hi, Tilly! Why did you decide to do Strictly?

I’d have been crazy to say no to Strictly Come Dancing. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and most importantly I really want to learn to dance.

Did you ever watch the show as a family?

Yes, I remember watching it as a kid. I was three when it first started! It was always our Saturday and Sunday night treat if we got all of our homework done.