Model Daisy Lowe posed exclusively for HELLO! in November 2016 to reveal what life was like for her during her Strictly Come Dancing journey. "Strictly has been such a gift," she said. "It is so much more than I thought it was going to be." Daisy, who was paired with pro-dancer Aljaž Skorjanec, credits the show for helping her gain confidence. I've always loved acting but never thought I could do theatre because I got the worst stage fright ever." “Strictly has been such a gift, not just for me but for my mum and grandma as well. Grandma has never missed an episode in the whole 14 years. She’s come with me to every fitting and every show.”
The 29-year-old also tells HELLO! that growing up in the public eye – she is the daughter of Pearl Lowe and Gavin Rossdale – has always put her relationships in the spotlight. "The other day someone said to me, 'You were in a series of long-term relationships but this year you've had a series of short relationships,'" says Daisy, who has previously dated actor Matt Smith, music producer Mark Ronson and musician Thomas Cohen, the widower of Peaches Geldof. "I'm just a 27-year-old lady trying to figure out what I do and don't want in a relationship so that I don't make the same mistakes again. For anyone who isn't in the public eye, that would seem normal, but because I get photographed going on one date with someone, then suddenly he is my boyfriend."
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Daisy, who was discovered by a model scout at the age of 15 and has appeared in campaigns for brands including Louis Vuitton, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Agent Provocateur and Burberry, has learnt to take tabloid attention with a pinch of salt. "At the age of 19 I made a choice not to read anything that's written about me," she says. "I just don’t touch it because it's not good for you. It either gives you a really inflated sense of self or a really deflated sense of self and I don't need to feed my ego. Last week a Strictly producer said, 'Oooh, I read something about you this morning.' I said, 'Oh God, what is it?' And she said, 'Well, actually, it was just a story about you buying blister plasters.'"
Already fit before the show started – she worked out with a personal trainer three to four times a week – Daisy’s fitness levels have improved further. "You know when you go to the gym and it makes you sweat so much that you feel like you’re going to be sick? Well, it’s like that – all week, from ten in the morning to six o’clock at night." That said, she’s enjoying one of the perks of exercising so much. "I’ve been taking advantage of eating everything in sight, which is amazing. I’ve spent my whole life feeling I should watch what I eat but actually don’t. Now I don’t have any food guilt."
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Talking about who is biggest influence in her life, Daisy reveals it's her mum, Pearl: "She’s such a pillar of strength with all this beautiful vulnerability and she’s a warrior. She has managed to get through everything with a smile on her face. Our relationship is so special." But for now, she is savouring every moment. "The older I get, the younger I feel. I care less about what other people think and just want to do what makes me happy. Having a good time is much more important than not, you know."
