EastEnders star Lacey Turner has said Strictly Come Dancing is “the hardest thing” she has ever done.
The actress, 38, is among the 15 celebrities taking part in the new series of the BBC show, which begins on September 19.
Speaking on This Morning alongside fellow contestant and actress Jaime Winstone, Turner said: “Everyone has said to me, just enjoy it because it goes so fast. You can’t not enjoy it.
“Although it’s the hardest thing I’ve probably ever done, you laugh all day.”
Turner admitted she was previously put off doing Strictly by seeing how exhausted her friends who were past contestants were.
She said: “It’s harder than I expected. I’ve had a friend in it pretty much every year for so many years and I’ve watched them work and train and they were physically fit, exhausted.
“That put me off for a long time. Now I’m in the training room like, wow.”
Winstone agreed about the gruelling nature of the show, saying: “It’s hard. I’m no stranger to a dancefloor but I’ve never learned a routine, I’ve never worked with a professional dancer. I can literally feel my leg muscles shaking right now.”
Winstone also recalled being praised by Taylor Swift for her dancing skills when they both attended socialite Poppy Delevingne’s 40th birthday party.
She said: “I was dancing, doing my thing and Taylor Swift came up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘how do you dance so freely?’ And I was like, how do I? I guess we’ll find out.”
Winstone hopes her father, actor Ray Winstone, will attend some of the live shows.
He is appearing in a new film, Going Under, alongside fellow Strictly contestant Dani Dyer’s father, Danny Dyer, which is due for release in spring 2027.
Winstone said: “My mum is very excited and my son Raymond. Hopefully dad’s going to come down. Hopefully he’ll come the same night as Dani’s dad, Danny Dyer.”
The pair also discussed Strictly’s three new hosts – Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Rabe – who have replaced Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after they left the show last year.
Winstone said: “It feels nice because we’re new to it and they obviously are as well, so we’re all in it together. The nerves are real.”
Turner added: “You’re never going to fill their shoes but what they have done is create something new.
“The three of them bounce off each other. You’ve got the humour and Emma is a national treasure.”
The other celebrity contestants this season include former Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen, actress Melanie Walters, former England footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and Australian singer Delta Goodrem.
They will be joined by celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, Love Island winner Cach Mercer, presenter Will Best, Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, actress Bethany Antonia, dog trainer and presenter Graeme “The Dogfather” Hall, Emmerdale’s Lawrence Robb, Olympian Tabby Stoecker and sports content creator John Nellis.
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