jamelia © Photo: BBC

Jamelia joins Strictly line-up: 'Dancing is not my forté'

August 26, 2015

After heavy speculation that she was set to join Strictly Come Dancing, Jamelia has been confirmed as the twelfth celebrity in the line-up. The pop star joins the likes of Peter Andre, Jay McGuiness and Carol Kirkwood who will all be competing for the glitterball trophy.

Jamelia confirmed the news after the BBC's director of television Danny Cohen made the announcement.

The Thank You singer, who has two daughters, said: "My girls are huge fans of Strictly, but when I told them I was doing it they laughed as they know that dancing is not my forté!"

jamelia © Photo: BBC

Jamelia is the twelfth celebrity to join the Strictly line-up

She added: "The girls are amazing dancers though so I definitely want to learn a new skill so that I'll be able to give them a run for their money, and end them teasing me once and for all!"

Jamelia has been in the public eye for over fifteen years after being signed aged 15 to a major record label. In her career, the mum-of-two has released three studio albums, each of which has reached the Top 40 in the UK, and which has collectively spawned eight UK top ten singles including Superstar, Money and Thank You.

Thank You is said to have been inspired by music manager Terry Wallen, the father of her first daughter Teja, who is now 14.

Jamelia said she wants to learn how to dance so that her daughters will stop "teasing me once and for all"

Jamelia had her second daughter Tiani with her ex-boyfriend Darren Byfield, a Solihull Moors footballer. The couple welcomed Tiana in October 2005 and three years later married in West Sussex, but in November 2009 it was announced that they were filing for divorce.

Most recently Jamelia featured as a coach on The Voice of Ireland and also appeared in Bear Gryll's latest adventure show Mission Survive on ITV.

She currently appears as a panellist on Loose Women where she has gained acclaim for her feisty honesty, which will no doubt come in useful when she faces the Strictly judges in the ballroom this autumn.

The final three celebrity contestants for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing will be announced later this week.

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