Nina Wadia loathed getting glammed up for Strictly Come Dancing
Nina Wadia said wearing sequinned outfits and getting a tan was not her "cup of tea at all" when she did Strictly Come Dancing in 2021.
Nina Wadia "hated" getting glammed up for Strictly Come Dancing.
The 56-year-old actress said donning sequinned outfits and getting a glowing tan for the hit BBC Latin and ballroom dance show in 2021 was not her "cup of tea at all".
Appearing on the latest episode of QVC's The Joy of Shopping podcast, she told host Emma Real-Davis: "My most hated thing about doing Strictly was actually getting ready to do the show.
"You're going to hate me for this, but I genuinely - it was not my cup of tea at all.
"The preening and the prodding, and the being sewn into and the being sucked into, and the being kicked into, I disliked that side of it.
"That and that tanning thing. I'm fricking Indian, I don't need a tan!
"They put you half-naked in this booth and spray you in your face. You're like, 'What is happening to my life?'
"That to me was really shocking."
Luckily for Nina, she only had to get ready for Strictly Come Dancing a few times as she and her professional dance partner, Neil Jones, 43, were the first couple eliminated from the show in 2021.
Their fierce Tango to Would I Lie To You by Eurythmics failed to impress the judges - Craig Revel Horwood, 60, Motsi Mabuse, 44, Shirley Ballas. 64, and Anton Du Beke, 59.
Despite not liking getting glammed up for Strictly Come Dancing, she loved how all of her castmates - including journalist Dan Walker, 48, and 42-year-old former rugby union player Ugo Monye - got on.
Nina explained: "Do you know what was really nice about our group on Strictly? It was that we all liked each other.
"It was a really, really lovely cast of people.
"We still have a WhatsApp group going. It's just a really warm, friendly group."
After Emma asked if her Strictly Come Dancing cast mates meet up for lunch, Nina replied: "I wish we did. If anyone had time to do that.
"I love Dan. I got on really well with Dan and Ugo. They were just fun to even work with and spend time with."
The former EastEnders star felt lucky to have been taught how to dance by Neil.
Nina added: "I got to know Neil very well.
"Neil is, for me, he was the best dancer there. He's the guy who's won the most accolades out of everyone.
"His experience is incredible. And he's a super choreographer.
"And we laughed a lot together. We made these very, very funny little videos that I love."
