Former cricketer Graeme Swann joins Strictly line-up
Swann said getting steps wrong on the dancefloor would be his worst nightmare.
Graeme Swann has been unveiled as the sixth contestant for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The cricketer’s participation in the BBC One series was announced on BBC Radio 2.
The former spin bowler, 39, admitted he was terrified of two things ahead of the competition – getting his chest waxed and getting the steps wrong.
“I’m worried about waxing my chest,” he said.
“It gives me clammy palms just thinking about it. It is going to be horrific.
“It takes me two days to get a plaster off in the bath! I’ve got the lowest pain threshold.”
Swann said he would also hate to make a hash of the routines.
“I’ve never been taught how to dance, I don’t know anything,” he said.
“So if you work for two weeks and then it’s about, your feet go here and your hands go there, and you get that wrong, that would be the end of the world for me.”
Swann follows a long line of cricketers onto the dancefloor, including Darren Gough and Phil Tufnell.
He said hearing them discuss their experiences on the show contributed to his decision to sign up.
“I’m hoping to follow in the footsteps of the cricketers who’ve come before me who’ve either won the whole thing or had an absolute ball on the show,” he said.
“Keeping it under wraps from my kids has been nearly impossible; they are huge fans of the show and I can’t wait to see their faces when I tell them.”
He joked: “I don’t have any background in dancing but can do the floss so let’s hope this comes in useful!”
Swann will join TV presenter Katie Piper, Steps singer Faye Tozer, Red Dwarf actor Danny John-Jules, YouTube star Joe Sugg and DJ Vick Hope on the dancefloor.
The identity of the remaining contestants on this year’s series of the dancing competition will be revealed over the coming days.
The new series, believed to be starting in early September, will see presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman return, along with judges Shirley Ballas, Bruno Tonioli, Dame Darcey Bussell and Craig Revel Horwood.
At the end of July, the dancers for this year’s series, including Anton Du Beke, Oti Mabuse, Pasha Kovalev and Karen Clifton, started work in the dance studio.
Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One in the autumn.
