'We Want to Create Wow Moments'

Tv Times Visits Strictly’s Neil Jones and Alex Scott at Their North London Dance Studio…

- Emma Bullimore

ENTERTAINMENT

Strictly Come Dancing

SATURDAY & SUNDAY / BBC1 / TIMES VARY

As Strictly partnerships go, you wouldn’t want to bet against the living legend of women’s football, now a BBC sports presenter, Alex Scott, and three-time World Latin champion Neil Jones.

When TV Times drops by their training room in north London, we’ve only just finished our first coffee of the morning, but they’ve already spent hours rehearsing!

However, it’s not all hard graft. Superfan Alex, 34, and Neil, 37, who has been part of the professional ensemble since 2016, are thrilled to be dancing in this year’s series, and they’re all smiles as they welcome us in. After a sneak preview of a few steps, we can’t wait to see them beneath the glitterballs!

Sitting down for a quick rest, they tell us all about the incredible routines they have planned…

Alex, is Neil a good teacher?

Alex: The way to get the best out of me is having fun and working hard. Neil keeps pushing me to be better. He’s been great about my ankle injuries, too; he told me it’s fine not to wear heels in every rehearsal.

Neil: Usually we tell the celebs to put the shoes on from day one to get used to them, but there’s no point in Alex getting injured – we want to be here for a long time!

Alex: I find it embarrassing when Neil tells me to dance bits by myself, though – I’d rather shadow him.

Neil: Yeah, she wants to stand behind me as I dance, but I can’t see what she’s doing. I need to see her to teach her!

Did you hit it off right away?