Lynda Bellingham strictly terrified about TV dance ordeal

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Actress Lynda Bellingham has spoken of her fears about waltzing and jiving in front of millions of people when she takes part in Strictly Come Dancing.

The 61-year-old will battle it out against a string of stars when the new series starts later this month.

Lynda Bellingham and Darren Bennett are ready for some dance action

But she said at first she was "terrified" about the prospect as self-doubts crept in.

"The idea of being myself out there terrified me," she told Yours magazine. "I don't have a lot of self worth."

Two months after being persuaded to go to the BBC for an informal chat she received a call asking her to take part.

She said: "I felt very flattered and thrilled I had got the job and had not been rejected. That was lovely. But within half an hour I was thinking 'I can't do it - they'll find out'. It's a classic actor's thing."

Bellingham, known for her roles in the Oxo adverts of the 1980s among other television and stage parts and is now a regular panellist on Loose Women, revealed she discovered the wonder of long gloves to cover up her arms and said her size 14 figure was ideally suited to the Strictly costumes.

She also pledged to listen to criticism of her performances by the judges but said she would be prepared with retorts if there was any "bitchiness".

Bellingham is being put through her paces by dance partner Darren Bennett during a punishing rehearsal regime and said she was now looking forward to the experience - if still a little worried.

"Yes I am nervous and excited but you can't let yourself think 'I am going to be watched by 12 million people and I might fall over'," she told the magazine.

Bellingham, who is married to Michael Pattemore, 54, and has two sons Michael, 26, and Robbie, 21, from a previous marriage, said she had done some ballroom dancing as a youngster after her late mother Ruth sent her for lessons for a year - but was dreading the jive.

She said: "It's the dance I'm most nervous about. I could never do it as a girl. I dreaded anyone asking me, because I couldn't let them take control, but hopefully Darren will take the lead. It was so uncool not to be able to do the jive in my youth - I don't want to visit that spot again - certainly not in front of millions of viewers."

With regular Pilates and treadmill training adding to newly teetotal Bellingham's preparations, she said she was not worried about keeping up with her more youthful rivals.

"I don't do old age," she said. "And just because you are young, it does not mean to say you can dance."

In pictures: Strictly Come Dancing stars for 2009

 

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