TV

EastEnders star claims soap bosses ‘wouldn’t let her’ do Strictly Come Dancing

Really?

EastEnders legend Barbara Windsor reportedly had to turn down Strictly Come Dancing while she was starring in the soap.

The iconic actress – best known to millions of us as Peggy Mitchell – told The Sun that soap bosses “wouldn’t let her” swap Walford for the dancefloor when she was approached back in 2004.

And these days, she reckons she’s too old to take part.

She said: “Now I’m 80, they wouldn’t ask me in case I had an accident because I could sue them for a lot of money.”

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EastEnders hasn’t confirmed her comments about not being allowed to take part, but other stars of the show HAVE been allowed to appear, suggesting bosses have no problem with their cast learning a new skill.

Just this year, Davood Ghadami – aka Kush Kazemi – took part in the show.

Other Albert Square favourites who have tried to claim the Glitterball Trophy include Jake Wood (Max Branning) and Kellie Bright (Linda Carter).

And no doubt there will be more ‘Enders stars in future Strictly lineups!

Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Barbara – who bowed out of EastEnders last year – has said she wouldn’t do Strictly now if she was asked.

She previously told The Sun: “I have been asked to take part in Strictly but have said no. I think I am at an age where I don’t want to learn any more.

“I am really tough on myself and I would be a real perfectionist about trying to get the dance moves right.”

While Barbara may think she’s too old for Strictly at 80, previous contestants have included actress Lesley Joseph who, at 70, was the show’s oldest female contestant.

Strictly wraps its current series this weekend with a grand finale featuring four couples.

Former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and Gorka Marquez will go up against soap star Gemma Atkinson and Aljaz Skorjanec.

Also competing for the Glitterball Trophy are Holby City’s Joe McFadden and Kayta Jones, and Debbie McGee and Giovanni Pernice.

This year’s Strictly final will have one major change from previous years: there will be no early elimination mid-way through the show.

In previous years, all four couples had performed two dances each, before one was voted out, leaving three to progress to a further dance.

So all four finalists will be performing three times.

Read more: Strictly’s Gemma reveals secret she’s hoping will win her Glitterball trophy 

They will perform a Showdance, a Judges’ Pick and their own Favourite Dance of the series, and it’s down to the public to vote for the winner. Sorry, judges, no power for you!

Strictly’s final kicks off from Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC1.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor