Bill Bailey took home the coveted Glitterball trophy this weekend after winning the 2020 series of Strictly Come Dancing with Oti Mabuse. But he has revealed his experience was tinged with sadness. The comedian appeared on Lorraine on Monday – hosted by fellow Strictly star Ranvir Singh – and was asked what was going through his head as he danced in the final.
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He admitted he had been thinking of his parents, and spoke of his upset after learning he would be unable to see his elderly father over the Christmas holidays.
WATCH: Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse named Strictly 2020 champions
"It was quite emotional anyway as it was going to be the last time we were dancing," Bill, 55, told Ranvir. "But it did make me think of my mum, firstly, because my mum died 15 years ago and I did think about her a lot on the day.
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"She loved ballroom dancing. In fact, she wanted me to take it up when I was a kid. She got me to take a couple of lessons when I was a teenager but of course, I was a teenager and I thought, 'I don't want to do ballroom dancing'. But I know she would have been so proud. This would have been her proudest moment."
Bill was clearly stunned to be named winner of 2020 Strictly
He continued: "It also made me think of my dad as we heard during the day about the new restrictions and about the fact that my dad who has been on his own isolating since March, we were looking forward to seeing him at Christmas and then we thought, 'Oh no, we can't do that now and he's going to be on his own.' So there was a lot of that going on as well… it almost made me want to give more in the performance, in a way."
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Bill – Strictly's oldest ever winner – was clearly stunned to be named 2020 champion, along with his partner, Oti. "It feels surreal, it feels extraordinary, it feels wonderful," he said, as his name was announced.
The comedian won the competition with partner Oti Mabuse
"I never thought we'd get this far, never thought we'd get to the final. But I have had the most extraordinary teacher and the most extraordinary dancer."
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