Former EastEnders actress, Samantha Womack, has denied reports that she’s set to strap on her sparkly shoes for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Certain tabloids got a little over-excited after she revealed she’d be back on the telly this autumn. Putting two and two together, it appears they came up with five, when Sam said: “I’m going to have the summer off and I’m going back on the telly in September.”
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As Strictly normally begins at this time of year, the conclusion drawn was that she’d let slip she’s joining Strictly.
But, after reading reports yesterday and, presumably, being messaged by loads of fans, the actress decided to set the record straight.
“I am not doing Strictly!!!!” she typed rather emphatically.
Seemingly, she’s a bit bored of her name being bandied around every time a new run is about to come around.
She retweeted one of her followers who replied to her post, saying: “Every single year!”
Samantha, 45, has previously confessed that although she ‘loves dancing’, she hates ‘people judging me’. And that obviously is a big stumbling block for anyone considering embarking on Strictly!
The actress also bravely said she suffers from anxiety, so taking part in Strictly would be a big step.
Samantha previously said: “I’m much better in a safer environment. I would really have to manage my anxiety on a job like that. I’ve done lots of musicals but I’m not a dancer, so I would be nervous about that.”
She added: “What appeals to me is the fitness, and I love dancing in general.”
The mum-of-three has turned down the chance to appear on the glitzy show, as she believed her EastEnders story lines at the time were too emotionally draining.
“I was too busy crying for a living, so I couldn’t get enough rehearsal time,” she joked.
Ronnie Mitchell was killed off, alongside sister Roxy, in a devastating episode on New Year’s Day 2017.
She went for a swim while drunk, and the weight of her wedding dress drowned both her and her sister, who had jumped in to try to rescue her.
Her departure was Samantha’s second from the soap, after taking a break of nearly two years after her baby-swapping story line in 2011 caused her to suffer verbal abuse while she was out in the street.
EastEnders is pretty good breeding ground for Strictly competitors; most recently, Davood Ghudami, who plays market trader Kush, made it to week 11 during last year’s contest.
Snake-hipped Jake Wood also had us swooning in 2014, and both Jill Halfpenny and Kara Tointon took home the glitter ball trophy in 2004 and 2010, respectively.
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Other celebrities rumoured to be in the line-up this year include The Great British Bake Off”s Liam Charles, sports presenter Chris Kamara, 80s TV star Anneka Rice, TV and radio presenter Maya Jama, Corrie’s Catherine Tyldesley and even Coleen Rooney.
Would you like to see Samantha Cha Cha Cha to victory? Or do you have another EastEnders’ star in mind? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!