Strictly's Sarah Hadland is vying for the coveted Glitterball, and she's already emerged as a top contender. Partnered up with Vito Coppola, the actress has received a wave of support from fans, with many calling her this season's dark horse.
After nailing the American Smooth, Cha-Cha-Cha and Argentine Tango – to name a few – it's clear that Sarah, 53, is a natural, but did you know she has previous dance experience?
Like her fellow competitors, Tasha Ghouri and JB Gill, the Miranda star has been at the centre of 'fix' claims, after viewers learned that she's actually a trained dancer. Here's what we know…
What has Sarah Hadland said about her dance background?
Sarah has spoken openly about the early days of her career, which included stints in the West End musicals, Cats and Grease. "I trained in dance from the age of three and then I left home at the age of 16 to go to a musical theatre college," she explained to the Daily Mirror.
By the time Sarah turned 19, she'd graduated from Laine Theatre Arts College in Epsom and was performing on London's West End.
© Guy LevySarah has been a long-time fan of Strictly but had reservations about signing on in the past. In 2019, her famous pal, Alex Kingston said: "Sarah Hadland and I talked about how much we'd like to do Strictly Come Dancing.
"Then I discovered that she's actually a trained ballet dancer. Hang on a minute! That's not fair!' So, I can't do it on a season when she is on it!" the TV star joked.
Who else has dance experience on this year's Strictly?
Sarah isn't the only star with dance experience. Love Island's Tasha Ghouri – who is teamed up with Aljaž Škorjanec – has been described as having an "unfair advantage" on social media.
Born in North Yorkshire, Tasha took ballet lessons at a young age, before training as a commercial dancer at the Creative Academy in Slough. She's also performed in competitions. Ahead of her debut in the BBC ballroom, the 26-year-old insisted that her previous experience had not given her any kind of edge in the competition.
© Ray Burmiston/BBC"Commercial dance is very different to ballroom dance and Latin, I'm still having to strip down and relearn, even walking in cha cha step is weird to me – you have to turn out your feet and lead with your hips, so it's based on muscle memory," Tasha told The Independent. "Even letting a man take the lead is a lot."
© Ray BurmistonJB Gill, who has re-partnered with Lauren Oakley after Amy Dowden sustained an injury, has also received criticism, considering that he has years of dance experience, after performing in numerous music videos and touring with his bandmates. In response, the JLS alum has stated that he is not a trained dancer but perhaps more "prepared" than some of the other celebrities.
