‘I'd love to make the final!'

Star HRVY reveals some secrets to his Strictly success so far

- STEVEN PERKINS

STRICTLY COME DANCING

SAT & SUN / BBC1 / TIMES VARY / ENTERTAINMENT

From the moment he made his dance-floor debut with an energetic jive, pop star HRVY became the one to watch in this year’s series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing.

HRVY and professional partner Janette Manrara went on to deliver a fairy-tale Viennese waltz, a gnome-themed cha-chacha for Movie Week, and scored the first 10 of the season (from head judge Shirley Ballas) for a super-slick salsa.

Keen to know more about his Strictly experience so far, TV Times called HRVY, 21, for an exclusive chat. Here, in his own words, he tells us about spray tans, facing the judges, and how Harry Styles and candles help him prepare to take to the dance floor…

I am really, really aching... If I had to sum up my Strictly experience in five words, that’s what I’d say! I’ve loved every second of it, but I am constantly aching, I won’t lie – my body is not used to all this dancing! I thought I wouldn’t enjoy the make-up and costume side of things, but I love coming into the studio on a Friday for the rehearsal and getting dressed up. I’ve had my first spray tan – I held off for as long as possible, but I was doing a salsa [in week four], so I was getting a bit of chest out!