Vicky Pattison says her Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals are taking a toll, revealing brutal injuries she says appeared overnight as she trains for the BBC series' 2025 lineup. The former Geordie Shore star posted an Instagram album showing her feet in pieces from grueling sessions, underscoring the demanding reality behind the glitzy TV moment.
On her Get A Grip podcast, co-hosted with Angela Scanlon, Pattison described the toll of the early weeks of training, noting that injuries escalated quickly. “The rate I went from having perfectly normal feet to absolutely butchered dancer's feet just happened overnight,” she said, adding that a light, routine cha-cha practice could cause noticeable damage in moments.
She also opened up about broader pressures surrounding the show, describing the experience as revealing for someone who identifies as working-class. Pattison said it has been “quite exposing” and that she has spent decades apologizing for being in certain rooms or moments, a pattern she says she is confronting as she competes on Strictly. She stressed that she is not a dancer or athlete by training, which has amplified nerves and self-doubt. “I’m not a dancer or an athlete at all. I’m struggling with that. But more than anything, the nerves are just getting the better of me already,” she told listeners. She admitted she worries about going out first or making mistakes, a fear she linked to the intensity of the moment after years in a different kind of spotlight.
Pattison also contrasted her partner-dependent, nerves-heavy prep with her husband Ercan Ramadan’s steadiness. She described him as supportive, kind, and unfazed by the whirlwind around them, suggesting that their different temperaments complement each other in handling the pressures of the show.
Before the season’s live launch, Pattison’s remarks come as Strictly faces heightened public interest in its behind-the-scenes dynamics. In the same period, the show was dealing with a leak of professional pairings that circulated online, a long-running friction point for fans who crave suspense about who will partner with which pro dancer. The BBC did not confirm the leaked list when contacted for comment, and the Daily Mail chose not to publish the leaked pairings to avoid spoiling the surprise for viewers.
The 2025 Strictly lineup, confirmed around the leak period, includes a mix of athletes, actors, and reality figures. Among the 15 celebrities touted for the season are Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, a 36-year-old Olympic sprinter; Alex Kingston, the 62-year-old Doctor Who actress; Balvinder Sopal, known for EastEnders; La Voix, a drag performer; Thomas Skinner, a reality star and entrepreneur; Karen Carney, a 38-year-old football pundit; Dani Dyer, the 29-year-old Love Island winner; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, the 53-year-old former Chelsea and Netherlands striker; Ellie Goldstein, a 23-year-old model and disability ambassador; Chris Robshaw, a 39-year-old rugby player; Stefan Dennis, a 66-year-old actor; Ross King, a 63-year-old showbiz journalist; and Lewis Cope, a 30-year-old actor, among others. Pattison herself is among the names joining the glittering cast, with the competition promising high-energy performances and drama from the outset.
The pre-launch buzz underscores the contrast between the show’s polished, televised sheen and the grueling, sometimes painful realities of training. Pattison’s candid disclosures—ranging from her feet’ injuries to her “kangaroo balls” comment about jungle challenges she’d prefer over glitter balls—reflect a broader trend of contestants sharing a more unvarnished view of Strictly’s demanding journey. Her remarks about nerves, self-doubt, and the need for resilience are consistent with the experiences reported by other entrants in prior seasons, even as anticipation builds for the launch.
As the series gears up for its weekend debut, producers and fans alike will watch how Pattison and the other participants translate familiarity with reality TV into ballroom confidence. The show’s early leaks and the heavy interest in pairings illustrate how, even amid secrecy, Strictly Come Dancing remains a cultural touchstone that thrives on surprise, grit, and the human stories behind the sequins.