Yeah, and afterwards I got quite a shock, she was really pushing me, she’s like hard core but before when we were training I was like 'oh this is lovely I could get quite used to this'.
- I bet actually that must have been a bit of a shock!
Yeah she was like, ‘right, I’m going to work you now.’
- So, talking about your career, 2012 is just around the corner what plans do you have for the New Year?
I’ve just started getting back into the studio, very early days, but I’ve had a couple of sessions in the studio and so yeah, it’s exciting.
- Good, and is it all going well?
It’s very very early days, but it was quite out of my comfort zone getting back into the studio again.
- How long has it been since you were last doing any recording?
My last album was 2005.
- Oh wow, that’s gone so quickly, I can’t believe that was 2005!
Yeah, so it feels like new again. But the industry has changed so dramatically so it is like learning a new industry in a way again, for me because it’s such a different different time.
- Strictly Come Dancing is obviously in full flow, which couples are you excited about this year?
Harry, I think he’s a sexy little dancer, he’s also got really good posture hasn’t he?
- Did you watch him on Comic relief early last year!
Oh did he do that?!
- Yeah, I can’t remember who he danced with, he didn’t dance with Ola then I don’t think, and he won it was him vs. Fern Britton I think
Oh I missed it I, but, oh ok yeah, I remember the show but I missed his one. Oh yeah, so he got a bit of training in beforehand. But I think Chelsea’s cute as well, she’s really fun and she’s a great dancer.
- Yeah she’s lovely, And who do you think is going to win?
Harry
- Do you?
Yeah, Harry or perhaps Jason possibly, because I think he might have a really big following, I could imagine the sort of older women liking him, but then Harry too...
- Jason’s so competitive though, isn’t he?
Very. Very , I agree.
- Although he’s kind of joking around about it, but in a serious way.
Yeah, I think that’s coming out more and more isn’t it.
- Definitely, so back in 2008 when you appeared on the show, how would you sum up that experience when you look back on it now?
Intense full on experience, I mean I was doing 8-10 hours of dancing a day.
- Really, that’s insane. Is it really that much?
Yeah, and I think there were more couples when I did it, I don’t think there are so many couples now, so it was literally from July all the way through to Christmas. And so, you do a little bit of training before you do the show and then I did the tour in the New year, so I really did it properly.
- I came to see that tour actually!
Oh did you!?
- Yeah I loved it, it’s so fun.
So yeah, it was just an amazing experience, but it’s also so ... when you’re in it, I watch it now I just think it’s kind of, have a laugh a bit, but then when you’re in it, you don’t realise how massively you take it on and you get really into it and emotional about it
- Yeah, I can imagine.
But when you’re on the outside of it you think it’s just a bit of fun you know, which it was but..
- Was it really competitive? As we were saying about Jason, you know it’s kind of like, just in it for fun but...
Yeah, it gets really competitive, and actually I am competitive, and when you’re in it, of course, you want to go all the way, you know, especially if it’s what you do, you know if it’s your industry.
But then also, I felt like where I’d come from people were expecting you to be a really good dancer, but I’ve never been trained, I think people just automatically assume that it’s going to come really easily...
- But I guess it gives you a bit of an advantage really or didn’t do any of that sort of dancing before?
Well in a way, I don’t think it does, as I said I think people just think it will come easily, and so in some ways I think it can go against you a little bit.
- Oh ok, so what did you get out of the experience on a personal level?
I learnt, well just getting over the nerves I guess, you learn not to take things as seriously, because obviously I knew it was fun and it was a laugh and everything but... I don’t know what I learnt from it really because I’ve always been the one with a really strong work ethic, so I was always the one saying to Vincent, 'come on let’s get on you know?'
I wanted someone to push me, I like to do it and really get stuck in to it. So I don’t know what I learnt really, I just learnt to dance really I guess, but if you asked me to do that those dances now I don’t even know if I could do them because their just one off dances you know?
- Do you ever hear any of the songs you dance to and get nostalgic?
Yeah, it brings back memories, I heard the song I did the rhumba to the other day and I was like ‘hmm’ because it’s something that stands out, that’s really special.
- Definitely, and the band are so incredible.
Yeah, they’re amazing aren’t they?
- Ok, and have you continued to ballroom dance?
I haven’t really, I did a little bit after Strictly with Vincent but, it’s really difficult when you go from doing 10 hours of dancing a day, as I was saying when I do something I really have to do it and then from going from that to doing an hour Salsa class or something like that it doesn’t really quite feel the same, and also you know Vincent and all the dancers, they go off and you know?
That’s their day job so, I’m sure I will do some more, I love dancing. I would love to do some street dancing and things like that, I’d love to do a different style of dancing.
- Finally, what’s coming up for you between now and Christmas?
Well I’ll be in the studio a little bit more and other than that, that’s it its more planning for new year looking at different music and getting back into the studio a little bit.
- Exciting, and enjoying Christmas I guess?
Oh yeah, I can’t wait for Christmas. I’ll be getting lots of Baileys in for Christmas.
Rachel Stevens adds a little something special to her girls’ nights with Baileys. Baileys is offering free delicious cupcakes to 50 lucky winners every day on www.facebook.com/BaileysGB until 7th December.
Please visit the facebook site for delicious cocktail ideas and tips for your girls’ night in or out.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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