Strictly star Chris Robshaw has quelled concerns about the show’s infamous curse making him its latest victim.
The former England rugby captain, 39, is set to perform a samba with Nadiya Bychkova, 36, in tonight’s (Saturday, September 27) first live show of the series.
Chris Robshaw ‘not worried’ about Strictly curse
The ‘Strictly Curse’ has claimed many a victim over the year, including the likes of Katya Jones and Seann Walsh, Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton, and Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev.
However, Chris is confident he won’t be another one of its victims after being paired up with Ukrainian dancer Nadiya.
If people think there’s something going on between us, we must be doing something right.
Speaking to The Sun this week, Chris said: “I’m not worried about the Strictly Curse. If people think there’s something going on between us, we must be doing something right.
Chris on dancing with Nadiya
“It means we’ve managed to create a sense of chemistry for the show, and we are performing well,” he then continued.
“Nadiya and I are a team, both totally focused on the dancing and giving it our all. Plus, Camilla and I are solid; she’s incredibly supportive, and we have a lot of trust in our marriage. Family is everything to me,” he then added.
He added that he’s “hit the jackpot” being paired with Nadiya, as she’s a world champion dancer and “top athlete”.
Chris tipped for early exit
However, unfortunately for Chris, his time on the show could be short and sweet. That’s according to former pro dancer Brendan Cole, who claimed Chris needs a more “jovial and silly” dancer than Nadiya, and they could be first out.
“Sadly, one of the weaker pairings could be Chris Robshaw with Nadiya Bychkova. He seems to have the right attitude going into the show – he looks like he genuinely wants to be there, which is lovely, because a lot of sportspeople don’t,” he said on behalf of Sky Vegas.
“But I worry it’s going to come across as a bit heavy and cumbersome, without a huge amount of television personality,” he then continued.
“I’m sure he’s not shy – I’ve met him a few times, and he’s a nice guy with good chat. But on this show, you need that extra spark, and I’m not convinced it will come across. On paper, he and Nadiya look great together – tall, blonde, a strong couple visually. But he needs someone like Dianne [Buswell], who could really bring out his personality,” he then said.
Brendan questions whether Nadiya is “the right match for him”, stating that he’s not criticising her at all. Instead, he believes Chris needs “someone a bit more jovial or silly”.
Read more: Strictly star Lauren Oakley quits social media ahead of live show: ‘Don’t be mean’
Strictly continues tonight (Saturday, September 27) at 6.55pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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