It's still early days, but former Strictly winner Aljaz Skorjanec and his partner this year, Viscountess Emma Weymouth, have been a hit with judges so far. That's a trend they'll hope to keep going when they perform the foxtrot on Saturday. And if their response to the music they'll be dancing to is any indication, it should be a moving routine. Talking to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning on Wednesday morning, the pair revealed that when they first heard the tune, they both burst into tears!
© Photo: BBCEmma and Aljaz will dance the foxtrot on Saturday
Aljaz explained: "It’s beautiful music – the theme tune to Downton Abbey – it’s so powerful. We actually cried when we heard it for the first time." Saturday is Film Week on Strictly, so the version he and Emma will dance to is from the movie, which has even more of a cinematic feel than the original. Emma also shared that she's finding the show challenging, but that the positive feedback from the judges has kept her on track.
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The 33-year-old said: "The lovely comments are so encouraging, it’s all so new and it’s such a steep learning curve." She revealed that she has been very self-critical since starting the show, admitting: "I’m very hard on myself, it’s my biggest flaw and I need to work on that." The mum-of-two shared that Aljaz had helped her confidence, and also praised Janette Manrara, his wife and Strictly rival, saying: "They’re a dream team… they’re so solid and so supportive."
© Photo: BBCEmma praised Aljaz's wife Janette Manrara for her support
Phil couldn't resist prodding the duo about their chance of winning the competition, with the Dancing on Ice host turning to Aljaz and saying: "We always say this to the pros when they come in here that you want a great partner, you want someone that's not going to get you knocked out in week one, because you guys just want to win it just as much." The 29-year-old dancer gave a diplomatic response, saying: I think we're all just really lucky that we're part of Strictly."
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Phil pushed him again, reminding him that he last won the show in 2013 and asking: "Yeah yeah yeah... You're telling me that it's really just nice to be part of the team?" Aljaz insisted: "We love the job so much, to create on a platform like Strictly, to choreograph for millions of people watching… For a dancer there is not a better thing to do." When the This Morning presenter asked him directly, "But would you like to win?" Aljaz laughed and admitted: "Always!"
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