WatchingFayego through theStrictly
periencegavehermothera much-needed
ost. “Thenursing staff atLuton and
nstableUniversityHospitalknewFayewas
y daughtersotheyweresupportingher,too.”
DidFayeconfideinmanyofthedancers?
“Some,butI didn’toutwardlyspeakaboutit.
iovanniknewandwasgreataboutit.”
Fortunately,Dorothymanagedtomakeit to
e showa fewtimes.“Wehadtoworkit around
ayswhenshewasfeelingokay,”saysFaye.
“Thebiggestsideeffectwasthetiredness,”
aysDorothy,whofeels“lucky”thatherside
ffectswereminimal.Thecold-captreatment
reventedherlosing herhairandshe
ecoveredwellfromthemastectomy.
“I wasoffereda reconstruction,butit would
meangoingbackformoresurgery.I thought:
‘DoI needthat?’SoI didn’t.AndI’vegotthe
mostsupportive husband in the world.”STEPCHANGE
DorothyandherhusbandAngus recently
celebratedtheir50thweddinganniversary,while
Fayewillsoonbecelebratingherowntenth
anniversarywithherhusbandMichaelSmith,a
softwaresalesmanager.Hewasa constantsupport
duringhertimeonStrictly, whenshesplithertime
betweentraininginNewcastle– wherethepair
livewiththeirsonBenjamin,ten– andrehearsing
inLondon.MichaeltravelledtoLondonforevery
liveSaturdaynightshow.
“Michaelwasnevera Stepsfananddidn’tknow
whoI waswhenwemet,buthejusttakeseverything
inhisstride,”saysFaye,whois spendingmuchof
hertimebackinLondon,appearingintheWest
EndshowEverybody’sTalkingAboutJamie.
“Wespeakfourorfivetimesa day,andthank
heavensforFaceTime.”
FayelovesbeingonstageandcreditsStrictlywith
havinganimpactontheworksheis nowoffered.
“It helps when you have more visibility in thisindustry.Strictlyhasgivenmeso manyopportunities.”
The Stepsstar hasalways lovedsinging
and dancing,alongwithheroldersisterClare.
“Itwasalwaysa familythingforus.Dadwould
build sets for our local theatre, Mum
wouldmakethecostumesandClareandI would
beinshows.Mumhasbeentoseeeverything
I’min.”
WhenStrictlycameherway,Fayewasoverjoyed.
“Itwasjusta dream.Allthatglitterandsequins
andhairspray– mynine-year-oldselfwasscreaming
withhappiness.I lovethatshow;it wasalwaysthe
oneI wantedtodo.It wasa lifegoalticked.”
Sheis stillintouchwiththeclassof2018.“We
havea WhatsAppgroupandwechata lot.”
AfterherWestEndstintFayeis lookingforward
tosomefamilytimeat homeaheadofperforming
herownshowona P&Ocruise;then,in December,
appearingastheWicked Queeninpanto at
Bradford’sAlhambraTheatre.Shehasalsobeen
makingplanswithherfellowStepsstars.
“Wecan’tconfirmanythingbutI cansayweare
makingseriousplansforthefuture.”
Mostofall,though,Fayeis justhappyknowing
hermotherhascompletedmostofhertreatment.
Dorothynowfacesjusta fewmorechemotherapy
treatmentsandwillneedinfusionseverysix
monthsforthenextthreeyearstohelpprevent
herdevelopingbonecancer.
“Wedidn’twanttosay:‘Thisis dreadful,I have
cancer,’”saysDorothy,whohopesherexperience
willhelpothers.“Wearesaying:‘I hadcancer,but
nowI’vesortedit.’”
“It’snicetobe ableto say:‘Thisiswhat
happenedandweareouttheotherside,’”
adds Faye.“I amsoveryproudofher.”ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: PA PHOTOS. REX FEATURES. (ABOVE LEFT) FAYE’S DRESS: BEULAH. DOROTHY’S JACKET: EVANS. T-SHIRT: M&S. (RIGHT) DRESS:BAUKJEN.SHOES: BEBO
e andDorothysharea specialmoment(above).Fayeis appearingonstageinLondonin
erybody’sTalkingAboutJamie, sotimespentwithherhusbandMichaelandtheirson
njamin (together,left)athomeinNewcastleisprecious:“Michael’sveryproud of what
I do and it’s good to show Benjamin a strong work ethic.”Giovanni
ernice
erform on
ast year’s
trictlyCome
ancing
left).“Strictly
as always
he show I
anted to
o,” says
aye. She’s
ow looking
rward to
tarring as
e Wicked
ueen in
ow White
Bradford’s
lhambra
eatre in
DecemberINTERVIEW:DAWNEMERY
PHOTOS:NICKYJOHNSTON
STYLIST:GAYLERINKOFFATCAROLHAYESMANAGEMENT
HAIR:CRISTIANOBASCIU
MAKE-UP: LOTTIE BROOKSBANKH76