Nicola Adams is about to make Strictly Come Dancing history in the first ever same-sex couple – and she almost refused to take part at all.
The boxer has spoken out about the opportunity to join the series, and revealed that there was a chance the show wasn’t for her.
She also didn’t want her decision to join the show to be seen as a statement.
Speaking to RadioTimes about her same-sex coupling, Nicola explained: ‘I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.
‘I wish I could say it’s because I wanted to be a role model, but it didn’t even cross my mind at the start.
‘I think it’s cool to let kids see someone who represents them, but for me it just felt more comfortable.’
Nicola is currently happily in a relationship with girlfriend Ella Baig, and often share their relationship online.
News of Nicola being on the line-up has already caused a stir among some viewers, and there’s even been complaints despite the fact she’s literally not even appeared on the dancefloor yet.
But the star is taking it all in her stride, and said: ‘Traditionally I guess men and women would dance together when they were courting, so the older generation have that in their heads. They see it as a sexual thing rather than a sport.
‘This is 2020. We have to move with the times, otherwise women wouldn’t have any rights, our aspirations would still be to just get married and have kids.
‘There is so much more to be done and we are just pushing through.’
The sentiment was echoed by head judge Shirley Ballas, who said that people need to ‘keep an open mind’ this series.
She said: ‘I’m so excited about that and I really urge the viewers to look with an open mind and remember – two men have danced together for years on Broadway, different shows, two women…’
‘I had a little girl partner myself, and I feel like, it’s movement to music with great technique. There would be 100 girls and two boys, so if you’ve got a boy partner, you were extremely lucky.’
Read the full interview in Radio Times, out today.
Strictly Come Dancing starts Saturday at 7.50pm on BBC One.
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