After performing live for the first time last Saturday, all 15 celebs will be taking to the Strictly dancefloor again this weekend. And it seems EastEnders' Davood Ghadami will be calling in reinforcements to make sure he's not eliminated...
Actor Davood Ghadami – aka EastEnders' Kush Kazemi –has revealed he's "raring to go" for Saturday's Strictly. "I'm basically a blank canvas that's raring to go! For me, it's about the whole process of being part of the show and working with my professional dance partner [Davood is paired with Strictly newcomer Nadiya Bychkova] to create this finished 'product', so that I can say: 'I just danced a waltz'. That's the ultimate aim."
Here Davood Ghadami tells What's on TV how his on-screen mum is helping!
WOTV: Bonnie Langford, who plays your on-screen mum Carmel in EastEnders, has been performing on stage and screen since she was a child. Has she given you any tips?
Davood Ghadami: "Oh, Bonnie’s so excited for me. When Bonnie found out I was doing Strictly, she ran up to me, climbed on me, sat on my shoulder and said: 'That's good, but we need to work on it'. So I know Bonnie's going to be a great help. I'll be doing EastEnders at the same time so, hopefully, if we get some time between filming, I'll be able to take her aside and she can teach me a few moves. And if Bonnie says I'm doing well, then I know I'll be OK."
Davood is hoping his co-star Bonnie will be able to show him some moves...
WOTV: Your EastEnders’ co-stars including Kellie Bright, Jake Wood and Tameka Empson have all done Strictly. What advice have they given you?
DG: "They’ve all been on the Strictly journey and their faces light up whenever we’ve talked about it, so I want to soak up the experience in the same way they have. Tameka said to me: ‘You’ve got to go out there and own that dancefloor, that dancefloor is yours’. I think that’s great advice."
WOTV: As Kush, we’ve often seen you without your shirt on around Albert Square. Can we expect that on Strictly?
DG: "It seems like everybody wants to see Kush have a bit of a boogie and maybe take his top off! I might save that until a bit later in the competition, as I don't want to give everything away too soon. I'm pretty sure all the lads will be doing it at some point – but I’m not afraid to take one for the team!"
WOTV: How do you feel about being Strictly’s resident hunk?
DG: "Oh, I think this year that's the Reverend Richard Coles. If he takes his top off this series you'll see there's an eight-pack under there. He's a very fit man."
Davood and Nadiya performed a sizzling cha cha on Strictly's first live show
WOTV: How will you stay in shape for Strictly?
DG: "I do enjoy the gym. I do a lot of crossfit, which involves being in quite an intense training environment, so I like that challenge and I'm hoping to have some positive transfer from that into the dance training although they're very, very different disciplines. Then along comes the creative aspect and so on, so that's where you've got to try and bring it all together. Hopefully my pro partner Nadiya can make that happen."
WOTV: The first Strictly elimination is this weekend. How far do you hope to go in the competition?
DG: "We’re a really close bunch, so the thought of any one of us going home is horrible. Anyone going into a competition hopes to see it through to the end but I'd at least like to make it to Halloween, so I can get really dressed up and have loads of fun. I think I just need to take it week by week and not over-think things – I'd be happy to complete any dance without getting laughed at!"
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday September 30 at 6.45pm, with the results show on Sunday October 1 at 7.15pm on BBC1.
