25 November 2023 , 18:00
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Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Fleur East has opened up about emotional It Takes Two interviews.
The singer-turned-presenter competed on the BBC dancing competition in 2022 and just one year later, found herself presenting the spin-off programme having become a hit with bosses and viewers. But the 36-year-old admits that she often picks up on the energy from the celebrity who is being sent home.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror ahead of Hits Radio Live, Fleur said: "I always talk to whoever is eliminated, I always get emotional and immediately, I sense their energy so it depends on how sad they are in the moment. Krishnan Guru-Murthy really moved me with his exit, he was very emotional."
Fleur East has revealed that It Takes Two can often see her overcome with emotion (BBC)Krishnan and his partner Lauren Oatley were sent home just one week before the show took over Blackpool's famous Tower Ballroom, leaving fans enraged as all four judges voted to save Angela Rippon following the dance-off. Fleur continued: " Zara McDermott was teary on her exit too. If I see that, I immediately know how upsetting it will be because the experience was so magical and I was fortunate enough to get to the final so I've got to experience every element of it.
"I can't imagine what it would feel like to go out midway and you know not have not completed like the thrilling experience. I really identify with them in that way and I have to hold it back because I've got to host the rest of the shows I can't even really allow myself to get too emotional." Fleur went on to reveal that she can console the celebs having experienced the "red light" herself on the show.
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"It's hard to see anything outside of the Strictly bubble," she explained. But Fleur revealed she often gives advice to celebrities having been in their position just a year prior. She told me: "It's funny when I see their faces midweek, so if I was doing a Jive or a Charleston or something relentless with high energy, I can see their faces I know exactly how they're feeling and I always just try and give them as many tips as I can from that specific discipline.
Fleur appeared on Strictly as a contestant last year (BBC/Ray Burmiston)
Fleur now appears on Hits Radio and is presenting Hits Radio Live (PA)"I'll just give them some sort of talk midweek just to pick them up and remind them that you know, I've been there, I know the schedule and how gruelling is. I also know how amazing the experience is, in particular Blackpool. I was saying 'Don't stress over your routine, just have fun, Blackpool is such a highlight and I don't want you to leave here and not remember any of this!'"
But when Fleur isn't on It Takes Two, she's presenting Hits Radio and this week, she's getting ready for two live spectacles in Birmingham and Manchester. Alongside her Hits Radio co-presenters, she will introduce the likes of Rita Ora, Busted and Calum Scott to thousands of fans at Birmingham's Resort World Arena and Manchester's AO Arena. Speaking of the event, the singer-turned-presenter exclaimed: "It's the highlight of The Hits calendar. It's when we all get to come together, we see our favourite artists perform. It's really cool, we've got some amazing people performing, I cannot wait."
Previously, Fleur performed on the line-up alongside her X Factor co-star Ben Haenow and revealed she hadn't previously thought about going from performing at the event to presenting it. "It's fun because I know exactly what they're experiencing. It's not all the time you get to be on the same bill as everybody from the industry.
"If you're doing festivals, you're separated from everyone, whereas these gigs, backstage, everyone is backstage, you get to chat to everybody else. The fun thing that I like to see is who's going to collaborate from the lineup, a lot of the time they get to meet artists that they maybe haven't had time to talk to. Then you think, 'They could be chatting about getting in the studio and then maybe next year we're gonna get a song from these two!'"
This year, fans will see the likes of Tom Grennan, Anne-Marie, Cian Ducrot, Busted, Calum Scott, Jax Jones and Becky Hil performing for fans in Birmingham, on Friday. While names including Rita Ora, Calum Scott, Cian Ducrot, James Arthur, Lost Frequencies, Busted and Maisie Peters will perform at Manchester's AO Arena on Saturday.
Tickets for Birmingham are available to purchase on Free Hits Radio's website. Whereas tickets for Manchester can be purchased on Ticketmaster.