Shona McGarty is overcoming her anxiety of live interviews and hopes it will mean she can perform on 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
Shona McGarty
The 29-year-old soap star - who plays Whitney Dean in 'EastEnders' - dreams of performing on the BBC dance show and thinks it's a more realistic ambition now that she's getting over her nerves.
Shona explained: "I want to do a skydive and I'd like to do 'Strictly'. I was asked to do it, but nerves got the better of me.
"As I've grown up, I've realised that the anxiety that I suffer from, which stops me from doing things, is all in my head.
"I'm doing more things now that I used to be afraid of, such as live interviews. I know I am on a huge soap, but if I make a mistake, I can do it again.
"With a live interview or 'Strictly', you only get one shot."
Maisie Smith, Shona's 'EastEnders' co-star, appeared on 'Strictly' last year and she's been encouraging the actress to follow suit.
However, Shona thinks she'll now have to wait at least two years before she's offered the chance again.
She said: "Maisie keeps telling me to do 'Strictly' and I would love to, although she absolutely smashed it and I said to her that I'll have to wait two years now before I do it."
Shona joined 'EastEnders' as a teenager, and she's thankful that BBC bosses looked after her during her first few years on the long-running soap.
Recalling her early days on the show, she added to new! magazine: "'EastEnders' were good. They explained that it wouldn't be like Hollywood - it is Borehamwood at the end of the day.
"I remember going into Tesco with my mum and wondering why people were looking at me. Everyone is always really nice to me."
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