Ashley Roberts has opened up about the supposed Strictly Come Dancing curfew, which show bosses have reportedly imposed on the professional dancers ever since Seann Walsh and Katya Jones were caught sharing a drunken kiss. Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, the Pussycat Dolls singer admitted she had heard no such thing. "I haven't heard about the curfew," she revealed. "I'm definitely going home and getting sleep! You need it in this game."
Her comments come after fellow contestant, cricketer Graeme Swann, admitted a curfew is in place. "I think the pros were told, wind your neck in. They were all very angry because they couldn't go to a couple of functions they wanted to," he said on the BBC Test Match Special podcast. "They were all sort of locked in, under curfew. A curfew was placed upon them. It's very much being like in a team, if one person lets the side down."
During HELLO!'s visit to the Strictly studios on Friday, Ashley also opened up about the criticism she has received for already having dance experience. "I understand that, I understand people saying I had training," she said. "I did do jazz and hip hop. It's been about 15, 20 years since I really trained properly, and this is a whole different ball game.
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"Latin, ballroom styles are so precise – how they transfer their weight, how they hold their shoulders, to their neck, and knees and ankles. It's very intricate. I'm definitely in the studio being pushed to my limit and wanting to be, and passionate about being here. I want everybody to know that I'm really giving it my all and I am being challenged and I'm grateful for being challenged."
"I haven't heard about the curfew," she revealed. "I'm definitely going home and getting sleep!"
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Speaking about her bond with the rest of the Strictly 2018 class, Ashley added: "Everybody is so nice. We really have all bonded and it's not even just with the cast, it's everybody behind the scenes – the glam people, the costume people, the production, there are people making the stage look great every night. It just has such a family essence and energy to it. And the support from the fans. We've all bonded and become a close little family!"
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