Judy Murray says Strictly Come Dancing was one of her best life experiences
Judy Murray loved taking part in the 2014 series of Strictly Come Dancing because it gave her the chance to do something away from the tennis world.
Judy Murray has declared that Strictly Come Dancing was one of the best experiences of her life.
The 65-year-old tennis coach - whose sons are tennis legends, Jamie Murray, 39, and Sir Andy Murray, 38 - was partnered with Anton Du Beke, 58, on the hit BBC Latin and Ballroom dance show in 2014, and she said it was nice to do something away from the tennis court.
Judy - who was the ninth celebrity to be eliminated - told the i newspaper: "Strictly was one of the best experiences of my life.
"In 2014, looking back, it was the first thing that I had done for myself for many, many years. Everything has been geared to the tennis world, and trying to help my boys and my job as a national coach."
The star recalled how she struggled during the first 18 months of motherhood.
Judy - who divorced from William Murray after 25 years of marriage in 2005 - explained: "Jamie and Andy are 15 months apart.
"Just before Andy was born, we moved from Glasgow, where lots of my friends were, to Dunblane to be nearer to my parents.
"I was a sales rep for a confectionary company and I realised I wasn't able to do it with the two of them.
"So the job went and the company car went, too. Suddenly, I was without friends. I felt trapped with these two little kids."
The Murrays were thrown into the limelight after Andy won the US Open Juniors in 2004, and it forced Judy to do a PR and media course to help them navigate through the challenges of fame.
She said: "We were complete novices in the media world; we were just trying to learn as we went along.
"I took a PR and media course in 2006 to try to help us."
Judy has been photographed looking "glum" and "grimacing" in the players' boxes as she watched Andy and Jamie compete in Wimbledon and other tennis tournaments over the years, but the tennis coach insists that she is smiley in other situations.
Writing in her column in the new issue of Woman's Weekly magazine, she said: "When the boys were emerging as top tennis players and we were launched into the limelight, I had a hard time from the media, seen as the pushy mum, overbearing and never smiling.
"The photographers caught me looking glum, grimacing or pumping my fist, and I think a lot of people thought I was too serious.
"The fact is, I'm not overbearing or pushy, I just get excited when I watch my kids.
"Being in the Wimbledon players' box is not fun. It's really stressful and there's a reason I'm not smiling.
"When I meet people in everyday life now, they point out that I'm always smiling.
"It's really nice that people see that side of me."
