A former professional dancer on the BBC show has shared her thoughts on two members of the Royal Family she would love to see compete for the Glitterball, adding “that would be great”
Erin Boag has a great idea to take Strictly to the next level(Image: Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
Long-running celebrity dance competition Strictly Come Dancing has seen a long list of memorable contestants take to its dance floor over its 21-year run on British television.
However, according to Erin Boag, a former professional dancer who appeared in the first 10 series alongside her regular partner Anton du Beke, there’s one potential pair of guests who could truly make Strictly history.
Erin expressed her desire to see royalty take part in the show, stating: “It would be great to see a royal do Strictly,” and she even has a specific royal couple in mind.
She emphasised the need for high-profile participants, saying: “I feel like we need to get some big names in there. Some really big names – that would be great.”
Erin proposed the idea of having Mike and Zara Tindall compete against each other, adding: “Mike Tindall versus Zara Tindall.” It wouldn’t be the first time a married couple have competed against each other with Gabby and Kenny Logan going head to head in the 2007 series.
Zara and Mike would be a fantastic coup for Strictly, Erin says(Image: WireImage)
However, Erin admitted that former England rugby player Mike might find the dancing challenging due to his sheer bulk, saying: “Mike’s quite big though. I’ve danced with rugby players. One big, one nimble. It depends on their size.”
She recalled her experience dancing with Martin Offiah, noting: “I first danced with Martin Offiah, I mean …Jesus, he was known for his speed. But he was also known for his bulk.”
Speaking to Genting Casino’s 20k Spins competition, Erin mentioned other rugby players she’d danced with, saying: “Then you get somebody like Austin Healey… and Matt Dawson did it well. They both played winger and because they’re known for their nimbleness and they’re small, they were both phenomenal.”
Erin was Anton du Beke’s professional dance partner(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Throughout her time on the show, Erin was often paired with sports personalities, achieving her highest-ever score, a 39, with sprinter Colin Jackson and a less impressive 21 when paired with former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton.
She was also partnered with former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and the late snooker legend Willie Thorne. Her finest moment saw her claim the runner-up spot alongside Jackson.
Palace officials may be reluctant to risk Princess Anne’s beloved daughter and son-in-law being subjected to the sort of ridicule that followed 1987’s Grand Knockout Tournament – remembered as the public relations catastrophe It’s a Royal Knockout.
Zara’s mother, Princess Anne, took part in the awkward marriage of royalty and showbiz(Image: BBC)
In that televised spectacle, devised and coordinated by Prince Edward, Zara’s mother Anne, Princess Royal and the then-Duke and Duchess of York captained teams of famous faces in a series of silly physical contests based on the popular international game show It’s A Knockout.
Senior royals were not impressed, but Edward forged ahead regardless. His father Prince Philip described the programme as “unwise and unwelcome”.
He remarked to one BBC executive: “Why doesn’t Edward let the TV people get on with it and just turn up to accept the cheques? He’s making us look foolish.”
James Whitaker, frequently dubbed “the royal correspondent’s royal correspondent,” claimed that the programme – which attracted a television audience of over 400 million – marked a “total watershed” in how the public viewed the Royal Family. “If you really had to pin down where it all went wrong, I would always point to It’s a Royal Knockout,” he remarked.
However, if Strictly bosses could entice Zara and Mike onto the programme, Erin suggested, they would certainly achieve one of the greatest television triumphs in history.