Jaime Winstone Credits Wild Partying Days for Strictly Come Dancing Success

Actress Jaime Winstone has stated that her past experiences in London's nightlife have been instrumental in her success on Strictly Come Dancing. Winstone, 41, who is partnered with professional dancer Carlos Gu, believes her days spent dancing in clubs and raves have prepared her for the show.

"I learned how to dance on dance floors and in raves, and that's one of the best parts of our British culture," Winstone said. "I'm very comfortable dancing on stage amongst a load of queens, that is my safe ground and that is a sense of freedom and that is where you grow as an human."

She further commented that people often misunderstand the nature of such experiences, but for her, dancing has always been a positive outlet. "I think people get it wrong and think you're doing something naughty. It's like I've never felt guilty about dancing; it's something that's really important for us as humans to do, to move our bodies. It helps mental health, it helps your physicality, helps your mind, and I still do it on my own."

Despite facing criticism from the Strictly judges and finding herself in the dance-off last week, Winstone shared that her celebrity acquaintances have been highly complimentary of her routines. She mentioned receiving "high fashion" feedback in her group chats.

"I've got Kelly Osbourne behind me thinking what I'm doing is the best version of myself that she's seen," Winstone revealed. "I mean Cara Delevingne is just completely taken away with mine and Carlos's performance for [David] Bowie, it was a really powerful androgynous performance, I felt we went to extremes with that."

Even global superstar Taylor Swift has previously expressed admiration for Winstone's dancing abilities, asking her, "Oh my God, how do you dance like that, you dance so free?"

Winstone, known for her acting roles including a younger Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders and her breakout performance in the 2006 film Kidulthood, performed a Salsa to the Scissor Sisters' "Filthy / Gorgeous" on Saturday's show, earning a score of 27 points.

The program also noted viewer reactions to comedian Josh Widdicombe's performance during its Halloween special, with some fans complaining that he appeared to put in minimal effort. The show's former hosts, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, did not participate in Halloween costumes due to an incident in 2014 where Winkleman's daughter was burned when her costume caught fire near a candle.

Reports also suggest that BBC executives are considering changes to the show's hosting lineup for the upcoming year, with sources indicating that the current trio may not be working effectively and that the program has become a subject of jokes. Some believe the selection of hosts aimed for a "kooky and cool" image that might appeal to younger audiences but has alienated traditional viewers.