‘It looked like I’d been hit by a tranquiliser dart’: Strictly star Bill Bailey reveals he COLLAPSED in rehearsals after his legs ‘stopped working’ ahead of finale
- The 55-year-old explained that his want to win this year’s Glitterball pushed him physically over the edge when his ‘legs stopped working’ mid-routine
- The Strictly finalist said he balancing on one knee when he ‘toppled’ onto his side infront of dance partner Oti Mabuse
Comedian Bill Bailey has revealed he collapsed during one of his last dance rehearsals ahead of Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing finale.
The 55-year-old explained that his want to win this year’s Glitterball pushed him physically over the edge when his ‘legs stopped working’ mid-routine.
The Strictly finalist said he balancing on one knee when he ‘toppled’ onto his side infront of dance partner Oti Mabuse
‘That’s wonderful’: Bill Bailey has inspired Gavin and Stacey actor Rob Brydon to appear on the next series of Strictly Come Dancing
Writing in his Strictly Diary column for The Telegraph, he said: ‘The long day’s training must have taken it out of me, and the result was, as I started to rise, stylishly, not domestically, my legs just stopped working.
‘I froze in mid-air, and slowly toppled over onto one side.
‘It looked like I’d been hit by a tranquiliser dart, in order to be put on a flatbed truck and moved to a different part of the game reserve,’ he quipped.
Never Mind The Buzzcocks panellist Bill will take to the BBC ballroom one last time on Saturday in a bid to bring home the glitterball trophy.
Waltz-ing off: Bill is competing for the Glitterball trophy with dance partner Oti Mabuse
However, the TV funnyman will face stiff competition from EastEnders’ actress Maisie Smith, musician HRVY and Janette Manrara and reality star Jamie Laing in the final.
Earlier this week, Gavin and Stacey actor Rob Brydon said Bill has inspired him to appear on the next series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The comedian hoped to break ‘dad dancing’ stereotypes by showing ‘blokes of his age’ that you can be taken seriously in the competition despite being in your mid 50s.
Professional dancer Oti, 30, said she prepared the ‘simplest’ routine for Bill’s first appearance on the BBC show – but quickly realised her celeb partner was capable of far trickier steps.
Idolised: The comedian hoped to break ‘dad dancing’ stereotypes by showing ‘blokes of his age’ that you can be taken seriously in the competition despite being in your mid 50s
She said: ‘When you come back as a reigning pro, you get someone that you can show a bit more personality…
‘The first day we went into a rehearsal and I did the simplest Cha Cha and he got it and I went “oh I might be in trouble, this might be a long season” and I kept pushing and pushing and he did it. I didn’t expect it.
‘I spoke to the comedian Rob Brydon and he’s a big, big Strictly fan and he said for the first time when he watched it and saw Bill he thought “oh my goodness, if I did Strictly, there is a possibility that I could go far.”
‘Because he’s a respectable man and character in English society, if he ever came onto Strictly that would be something that he would want to do, be taken seriously and really give it his all and hopefully make it far.’
‘He’s a big, big Strictly fan’: Oti said comedian Rob Brydon hopes to follow in Bill’s footsteps next year by achieving high scores and being taken seriously in the competition
Bill added: ‘If that is the consequence of me being on this show then that’s wonderful.
‘Blokes sometimes feel a bit self-conscious, particularly blokes of my age, they feel they’re going to be called the dad dancer and I think if me showing I can get out there and look a little bit more than somebody shuffling about then why not?
‘I would love to carry on dancing. It’s so much fun it is accelerating and liberating.’
Viewers have complimented Bill over his recent weight loss after eight weeks of dance training has left him with a slimmer physique.
Bill said: ‘I try and stay reasonably fit generally. I wasn’t going into it without any sort of fitness.
‘I try and stay reasonably fit generally’: Viewers have complimented Bill over his recent weight loss after eight weeks of dance training has left him with a slimmer physique
‘It was nothing like the intensity of dance training but enough so when we started it wasn’t so much of a shock. It is extremely tough.
‘I have nothing but respect for dancers and the amount of work they put in. I’ve met athletes and sports people and you can see they’re fit and toned but when you meet dancers the way they carry themselves – the grace and poise, that’s what takes years and years to achieve.
‘Trying to get to that in a few days is hard. But I’ve loved it I have absolutely loved it.’
Bill, who will be the oldest Strictly champ if he wins the series on Saturday, is performing his Couple’s Choice routine to Rapper’s Delight by The Sugarhill Gang for the grand final.
Strictly win: Bill will be the oldest Strictly champ if he wins the series on Saturday
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