Zara McDermott pays poignant tribute to 'guardian angel' ahead of Strictly stint

14 September 2023 , 18:08

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Zara McDermott pays poignant tribute to 'guardian angel' ahead of Strictly stint

Zara McDermott says her grandma will be her guardian angel when she takes to the Strictly dancefloor.

The former Love Island star posted photos of her giant blister in the studio this week as she began training full time. And Zara wishes gran Winifred were still around to see her hard work on the BBC show from Friday night. Zara, 26, said: “I remember watching the first series when I was seven, with my nan.

“We would watch the show and replicate the dances ourselves. She’s sadly passed away now but I just think that she would be over the moon. I feel like she’s looking down on me. She’s my little guardian angel.” Of her preparations, Zara said: “I’m really into my exercise and my weight training and everything anyway.

“I’m doing stretching every day, more cardio, things like that, because I know how intense this is going to be. I am obviously scared of being injured as well – this is such a new way of movement, something I have never done before.” And despite claiming to have no natural dance ability, she confessed: “I would love to win!”

Zara with her nan Winifred and little brother Brad (Zara McDermott Instagram)

Zara in training for Strictly (zara_mcdermott/Instagram)

Zara, who has also made documentaries for the BBC, is among seven contestants who say they have no real dance experience. The others are Paralympian Jody Cundy, actors Adam Thomas and Bobby Brazier, comedian Eddie Kadi, newsman Krishnan Guru Murthy and DJ Nikita Kanda.

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Of the others, soap star Ellie Leach had tap, ballet and street dance lessons as a child. Actor Layton Williams says he has some jazz, tap and ballet training. Fellow actor Nigel Harman admits to some musical theatre training. But presenter Angela Scanlon ’s experience is unlikely to help.

She explained: “I did Irish dancing when I was younger where you’re expressly told to remain stiff as a board from the waist up, so I’m not sure how that’s going to go down!”

Mark Jefferies