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Carol Kirkwood, the former BBC weather presenter, has described her experience on Strictly Come Dancing as “terrifying.” The 63-year-old, who hails from Morar on Scotland’s west coast, initially hesitated when invited to join the show, concerned about appearing foolish on national television. However, she later revealed at the Hay Festival in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, that dancing alongside her professional partner Pasha Kovalev turned out to be “amazing” and an unforgettable experience.
Kirkwood acknowledged that getting physically close to a stranger did not feel natural for her. Commenting on this, she said, “It’s quite embarrassing to get that close… to somebody that you’ve only just met. We’re not Love Island kids.” Despite her initial reservations, when questioned by former BBC Breakfast co-host Sian Williams, she expressed no regrets about taking part, stating, “I’ll never forget that nor regret doing it. It was a wonderful experience.”
When deciding to take part, Kirkwood confessed she was nervous about making a fool of herself. She said, “I was scared of making a fool of myself. And then I thought, ‘just get over yourself. You’re not going to be in the West End’.” She also praised her dance partner’s skill, explaining that while she struggled with dancing, Pasha learned the routines very quickly. Over the course of the competition, she lost weight, requiring adjustments to her costumes each week.
Kirkwood described a typical Saturday during the show’s run, starting early with hair and makeup sessions, followed immediately by costume fittings. She explained how costumes were specially designed with attached skirts or trousers to prevent wardrobe malfunctions during performances. The preparation culminated in a dress rehearsal, where the crew, who were responsible for marking performances, awarded her four perfect scores once. Despite some moments of forgetfulness on stage—particularly at the top of the illuminated stairs before dancing—her partner reassured her. Reflecting on these nerve-wracking moments, she admitted, “It was terrifying, but the relief when you had done it.” During those times, she even looked for a fire exit, thinking, “I’m out of here.”
Regarding reality television outside of Strictly, Kirkwood stated she had no intention of joining I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, citing a fear of the jungle’s snakes: “When you see the snakes around their heads, I think I would have a heart attack.” Instead, she expressed a preference for a travel-based show, joking with Williams, “If we started in Singapore, we’d go straight to Raffles, have a few cocktails, and we’d be on the next plane home.” Though she indicated weather presenting was no longer her main focus, she hinted at upcoming presenting opportunities she couldn’t discuss at the time
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