Faye Tozer has opened up about the 'brave' moment she and her former dance partner Giovanni Pernice faced while competing on the 2018 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
MORE: Strictly star Ellie Taylor and Johannes Rabade break silence after 'unfair' scoring
Speaking to HELLO! this week as part of our Strictly Insider series, the Steps star spoke about their iconic couple's choice routine, which Giovanni recently re-shared on social media, and what happened behind the scenes.
WATCH: Faye Tozer chats to HELLO! for this week's Insider
"[The dance] was a massive gamble because we didn't know how the audience would take it, whether they'd enjoy it, whether they'd allow it in a ballroom situation so it was a massive risk for us.
"It was a little bit ridiculous in the rehearsal room, learning it and then with props. I found it quite tough at the end doing the lift bit, I had to sort of jump on him. We've done like a 'Rehearsal room vs. live studio' and you can see where someone in the room was holding the chair, and I ran up and jump off the chair onto him and I had to be so brave, to do these things! We see people do these things each week, the lifts, it's scary stuff! But I'm so proud of the dances that me and Giovanni did."
MORE: Giovanni Pernice sends heartfelt message to Rose Ayling-Ellis following major achievement
MORE: Strictly couple Nadiya Bychkova and Kai Widdrington announce major news!
© Photo: BBCFaye says Hamza could be making the final
Faye continued: "Halloween was so special for us because it was the first ever couple's choice, he was so kind to me because he was like 'Right what do we do?' and I said I had the theatre background so he said our options are theatre jazz, so he was bringing something completely different to the table."
The singer also told HELLO! who she thinks out of this year's competitors will be lucky enough to make the final. "Winner? I don't know! I'm a huge fan of Hamza and Jowita. For a new pro coming through as well, she is just gorgeous. Helen and Gorka, I mean, their jive, it was so slick, so clean, the lighting, it was just – I think that was one of my favourite jives ever. Kym, I think, potentially," she said.
© Photo: BBCThe singer and Giovanni's couple's choice routine to Fever was iconic
"But Will as well, the boy can dance. I think he's had his confidence knocked a bit. And then I think the rest is still a bit fuzzy, it's going to be really interesting in the next few weeks. I think they're going to be picked up on style and perfection and making sure they finish all the lines so it’s going to get really tough in the rehearsal room."
The former finalist continued: "It's been so great to see Strictly with a live audience again, it's changed over the last four years. The inclusivity, all of the challenges and amazing things that Strictly are doing, I'm still just such a huge fan. And I want to go back and do it all again!"
Like this story? Sign up to our What to Watch newsletter and get the heads-up on the shows and films everyone’s talking about.
