Strictly's Montell Douglas reveals astounding dance skill she has learned
The Gladiators star has made it to Week 10 in the dance competition and claims to remember every dance step she has learned so far.
What did you miss?
Strictly Come Dancing 2024 contestant Montell Douglas claims to remember every single dance step from every dance she has performed so far.
The Gladiators star has made it to Week 10 in the dance competition with her partner Johannes Radebe and claims her natural body memory means she has not forgotten a single step she has learned.
The pair saved themselves after landing in the bottom two yet again in Blackpool Week, but Douglas is confident she will master the Quickstep in time to wow the judges on Saturday night.
What, how and why?
Former Olympic athlete Douglas and professional partner Radebe appeared on Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two on Tuesday, 19 November.
Douglas told host Fleur East: "I'm really working hard to put out a performance that we can be proud of and also enjoy it because it is a brand new dance. But I can bring all the elements that we learned in week one, in the Foxtrot hold to now. I'm going to use those elements for, for the coming week."
She added: "I've got a very good memory currently. I just remember every dance from every step from every dance I've ever done." Radebe exclaimed: "It's all in there, she learns to know stuff, I am shocked. It's incredible!"
Douglas, a former British record holder for sprinting the 100 metres, and known to Gladiator fans as Fire, also said her sporting background has prepared her for competing in the dance off.
She said: "In that moment you want to fight, but you also want go off with a nice memory that you can just give everything your all. That's something that I have in my armoury, to be able to go out there and give my best shot. And it's building my resilience, it really is building the toughness. I actually go out there and perform under pressure in that moment with a smile on your face."
Read more: Strictly Come Dancing
BBC Strictly Come Dancing fans 'sobbing' over Dianne Buswell's personal announcement on show(Manchester Evening News, 3 min read)
Strictly Come Dancing fans left feeling sad at Pete Wicks post as star insists 'I am trying'(OK!, 3 min read)
BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Janette Manrara surprises with Blackpool update and says 'only way I know how' (Manchester Evening News 2 min read)
What else happened on It Takes Two?
Sarah Hadland has confessed she is dreading the upcoming Samba-thon — and is worried it could go dangerously wrong. On Saturday night's show he remaining Strictly couples will take to the Ballroom floor together to impress the judges with their best Samba moves in a group dance. But the Miranda star fears it could end in an injury for one of the contestants.
She told East: "I mean, I'm a little bit terrified. I remember they've done things like this before on Strictly, and I personally always love it, because there's a slight element of It's A Knockout danger to it, 'cause everybody's career is in jeopardy, there's a lot of jeopardy. I'm just hoping you're gonna be shouting instruction."
Hadland also confessed she had felt resistant to Coppola's training at first, and kept wanting to take break. She said: "It was just a real shocker, and I think Vito from the start has been amazing because he's always pushing you. And at the beginning I was so resistant. I was like, 'No, I can't do that. No, I shan't be doing that. No, no, no.'
"And sometimes I'd even say, 'right, I want to stop now and have a break', and he'd be like, 'No, we need to push forward, we need to keep going.' And I understand why now, because you reach a point when you have to keep going to get it into your body, even though your brain has kind of had enough.
"But I didn't understand that, so I'd be like, 'no, I think I need to have a cup of tea, stop'. And now, we were talking about it today. I understand that we have to keep going, cause even though my brain definitely hasn't got it, my body is somehow picking it up."
Strictly: It Takes Two airs on BBC Two at 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One at 7.05pm on Saturday.
