Actress Jaime Winstone has shared that a compliment from Taylor Swift was a pivotal moment in her decision to join the cast of the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Winstone, 41, who had previously turned down the show, stated that Swift's remarks about her uninhibited dance moves at a celebrity gathering encouraged her to embrace the opportunity.
"I have been asked before and I've always been working and busy or just being full-on mum, but I turned 40 last year and I've really got to just lean into this moment," Winstone said.
She described attending a birthday party for her friend Poppy Delevingne, where Swift was also present. "I was just dancing as I do, and she came up to me out of nowhere and just said, 'Oh my lord, how do you dance so freely?' When someone of her calibre and status says that, it's a very clear sign!" Winstone recounted.
In addition to Swift's encouragement, Winstone also cited a lyric from Madonna's new album, 'everybody get up and dance,' as another personal sign to join the competition. She noted her significant admiration for Madonna and her own home decor, which features disco balls in every room.
Winstone, known for her roles in films like "Made in Dagenham" and "Tomb Raider," as well as television dramas such as "Babs" and "Four Lives," expressed excitement about stepping into a new genre.
"I'm not a controlled dancer, I've never done a dance lesson in my life and I've never done a routine, so I'm quite excited to see how I get on with that," she admitted, contrasting her natural style with the structured nature of ballroom dancing.
She further explained her motivation, stating, "I've done every sort of gritty drama you possibly could do, and I usually play people quite a lot older than me, and I just thought: this is the time to step into a realm that I don't know, which is the ballroom, and give it a real good go."
Winstone joins a lineup that includes actresses Lacey Turner and Delta Goodrem, reality stars Dani Dyer and Cach Mercer, Big Brother host Will Best, Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, "Gavin & Stacey" actress Melanie Walters, celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, "House Of The Dragon's" Bethany Antonia, footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, presenter Graeme 'The Dogfather' Hall, "Emmerdale's" Lawrence Robb, YouTuber John Nellis, and Olympian Tabby Stoecker.
Strictly Come Dancing is scheduled to return to BBC iPlayer and BBC One on Saturday, September 19.