go up the stairs without getting out of breath.
“But it did have a knock-on effect, as I would shy
away from dance classes. I got into so much
trouble at theatre school. In my head, I still
believed I was bigger than I was,” she adds. “I’m
really hoping doing Strictly will give me more
confidence – and some more moves. I am
definitely a side-stepper kind of girl, with the odd
Tragedy hands.”
DANGER ON THE DANCEFLOOR
Despite this, other celebrities taking part have
already tipped Catherine as the one to watch.
Jamie Laing, who left the show due to injury,
described her as a “triple threat” as she can sing,
act and, soon, dance.
“I don’t know where he got that idea,” says
Catherine, laughing. “I think Jamie is being really
kind there. I don’t feel like a triple threat at all.”
In fact, it’s going to take all she has to keep her
nerves under control, but Catherine has her own
way of dealing with it.
“I’m a big fan of meditation before any live
performance and I go into what Tom calls my
‘Cath Bubble’,” she says. “I’m a very talkative
person, but I go very quiet and take that time to
breathe and focus.
“Because normally I’m so bubbly, everyone
says: ‘Are you okay?’ But I’m visualising everything
going completely to plan – so at the minute, I’m
visualising me and Johannes and those perfect
tens from the judges.”
Her dream is to get to Blackpool. “I used to go
most years to see the illuminations – it was a huge
part of my childhood,” she tells us.
“My dad said: ‘If you get to Blackpool I’ll be
happy.’AndI said:‘Letmejustgettoweek
two first!’”Forbehind-the-scenesvideofromourphotoshootand
additionalcontent,visithellomagazine.com.REPORT: JANE DOWDESWELL
PHOTOS: JOEL ANDERSON
STYLING: MARTINE ALEXANDER
MAKE-UP: EMILY CLARKSON AT CREATIVES AGENCY USING RODIAL
HAIR: JAMES ROBERTSPHOTOS:PLAINWHITECREDIT‘I’m really hoping
Strictly will give me
more moves. I’m a side-
stepper kind of girl, with
the odd Tragedy hands’
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: ALAN STRUTT. BBC. CATHERINE TYLDESLEY29