Strictly Come Dancing star Melanie Blatt has addressed her previous dance experience. The All Saints singer is part of the celebrity lineup taking to the dance floor for the Christmas episode of Strictly, but she has said her time in the girl group hasn't given her a leg up ahead of the Christmas special.
Blatt is partnered with Kai Widdrington, with other celebrities including Babatunde Aléshé, Brian McFadden, Jodie Ounsley aka Fury, Nicholas Bailey and Scarlett Moffatt also taking part.
Weighing in on her experience, Blatt explained she did "a very different sort of" dancing with All Saints.
"We did do choreography in All Saints, but it was a very different sort of choreography," she said (via The Daily Stars).
"We just plodded around for years! Whereas now I've got to have my shoulders back, and a proper frame, which is the complete opposite."
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However, the singer acknowledged there is something she learnt during her time in the girl group that did prove useful during her Strictly training.
"But I did already know how to count to 8, which has been helpful!" she said.
Blatt also admitted she wasn't a huge fan of the "flowy" outfit she had to wear for Strictly.
"The main thing that I've had to overcome is the outfit side of things. I'm not a dress wearer, but I'll be wearing a long flowy dress for this," she said.
"I'm very particular about the shapes and the things that I wear. So that’s been quite challenging, but it's good to be challenged. And it's made me realise to just go for it and not care so much."
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
