29 August 2023 , 13:59
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Strictly Come Dancing star Neil Jones offered a very sweet insight into his chances of finally given the opportunity to swivel his hips with a celebrity dance partner this year, after waiting two years to potentially hold the coveted glitterball.
The 40 year old star, who is set to become a dad for the first time with fiance and Love Island star Chyna Mills, got his first call up on the main stage in 2019 with football ace Alex Scott - three years years after joining the show. He then had to wait until 2021 to be paired with actor Nina Wadia. Sadly, the pair were the first to be eliminated from the competition as Neil's chances were dashed at the first hurdle.
But it has been two years since he felt the rush off intense rehearsals and dance offs. So it's perhaps clear to see why he is not particularly bothered about who is he paired with among the celebrity line-up.
Speaking to OK! about his chances this year, Neil replied: "I honestly don’t mind. There are so many different personalities and challenges. It’s quite nice just getting a partner!" he added. When asked if he ever gets starstruck, he replied: "I don’t think so but I do love football players. I’m just so intrigued by what people are doing and how they find stepping into our world."
Strictly's Neil Jones has revealed that he doesn't mind who he is partnered with in this year's show (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Neil hasn't had a partner since he was paired up with EastEnders star Nadia Wadia - who was eliminated first (BBC/Guy Levy)Neil was paired with Alex in 2019 and the couple were sadly voted off in week 11, coming fifth in the competition. In between then and 2021 when he was partnered with Nina, he was still a firm fixture within the strictly family as he continued to take part in the professional dance routines.
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Speaking about a few of his favourite celebrity contestants, Neil named former MP Ed Balls as one of them. He continued: "Ed Balls was so entertaining. I loved Rose Ayling-Ellis – she was incredible. Even the really good ones like Hamza Yassin, he was fantastic because no one was expecting it.
He added: "Each year, I make a joke with the guys like, “it’s good to see some gingers in here,' because the moment you see someone on screen that looks like you, that gets you excited. My mum is a taxi driver and she was driving a little boy who’d had his leg amputated when Jonnie Peacock was on the show. He was so excited to see him on TV."
But while Neil is determined to give it his all, he also has to be prepared for the impending birth of his first child. Asked what he's going to do if Chyna, 24, goes into labour while hes still non the show, he said: "I’m going to tell her to hold on as long as she can! We don’t know what’s going to happen but if it happens during a live show, we’re ready for that. "
He added: "Strictly is really supportive. People say, 'Are you ready for not sleeping?' And I’m like, 'I’m a dancer, I’m used to it.' We’ve had so many new Strictly babies – both Janette Manrara and Gorka Márquez have just had babies. When they’re older, we should do a competition with all the babies!" Johannes Radebe was the first pro dancer to be part of a male same sex couple. And it looks as though Neil wouldn't mind following in his footsteps. The dancer continued: "My sister used to dance with a girl so that’s normal, I’ve been brought up with that. I think it’s fantastic and I love to get creative so anything that I’ve not done before gets me thinking a lot. Bring it on!"