STRICTLY’S Jamie Laing has joked his dance partner Karen Hauer has been sneaking into his bedroom at night as they quarantine together.
The Made In Chelsea star originally signed up for last year’s series but was forced to quit when he injured his foot during a group dance for the pre-recorded opening show.
Back for a second stab at the BBC ballroom, the 32-year-old has been paired with professional Karen but unfortunately found themselves in the bottom two last weekend as their American Smooth failed to wow the public.
Speaking to The Sun Online ahead of their performance this Saturday, Jamie said the pair are training more than ever and joked Karen has been sneaking into his room to help him remember his steps as he sleeps.
He told us: “So at the beginning, what happens is, is that you start training and you’re literally like, ‘Are you ever going to learn this?’
“It’s like learning a new language and it’s really scary and intimidating and it’s worrying and all these different things, but then slowly what happens is that your coach, your awesome professional partner, somehow gets it to sink in.”
Jamie, who is dating fellow MIC star Sophie Habbo, laughed: “I honestly think Karen crawls into my room at night and she whispers into my ear what the steps have to be, and somehow it goes into your mind because you wake up one day and go, ‘Oh my God, that’s what this is, that’s what that is’.
“So it’s intense, it’s hard. Your back hurts, everything hurts, but it is the coolest thing you could ever possibly do.”
Continuing in fun, he added: “Honestly, Karen comes to me in my room at night. Last night I woke up and Karen was in my room.
“I’m like, ‘Karen what are you doing here?’ And she said, ‘Sorry, I was whispering into your ear’.
“I tell her, ‘Alright, but listen, we’ve got a show to do and I need sleep, alright?, You get back to your room’.”
Strictly is no doubt more intense than other years as the contestants and their professional dance partners have been forced to isolate from their loved ones, in a bid to compete amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The celebrities also face being thrown out of the series if they test positive for coronavirus.
Each day there are temperature checks, enforced social distancing and masks worn at all times, plus a studio deep clean.
During the opening show for the series, Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced the changes that had taken place in order for the show to launch safely.
This includes stars having to test for coronavirus twice before entering the studio.
The show experienced momentary disarray as HRVY tested positive before the show began, but then tested negative just in time for the series.
Tess said: “Usually we would pair up our celebrities right here in the ballroom but this year we’ve had to do things a bit differently.”
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Claudia added that stars “have already formed their Strictly bubbles.”
The series has been cut from 12 to nine episodes too. On top of this, the number of people on site has been reduced.
Everyone that enters the premises is made to sign a self-declaration form, promising they don’t have any coronavirus symptoms.