BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Jamie Borthwick hints health condition is already affecting his chances in comeptition

Jamie and Michelle
-Credit: (Image: BBC)


Strictly Come Dancing's Jamie Borthwick has hinted a health condition is already affecting his chances in the competition following his first dance. The EastEnders actor, who won last year's Strictly Christmas special, took to the floor for the first time with his pro partner Michelle Tsiakkas on Saturday night.

They performed a Viennese Waltz to Beautiful Things by Benson Boone, landing them at half point in the leaderboard after the first show with 23 points. After their dance, host Tess Daly commented on all the twirls in the dance.

Jamie curtly replied: "It didn't do the vertigo much good." The NHS says vertigo 'feels like you or everything around you is spinning – enough to affect your balance'.

Read more Strictly Come Dancing week 1 leaderboard and scores as celebs perform for first time

A vertigo attack can last from a few seconds to hours. If you have severe vertigo, it can last for many days or months. The judges seemed to pick up on Jamie's dizziness.

Head judge Shirley Ballas told the soap star: "As you were spinning away you looked a little disjointed and imbalanced." Craig Revel Horwood told Jamie he loved his energy but he said he was 'a bit jagged throughout'.

Jamie told Claudia Winkleman he had been 'humbled' by his first week on Strictly. Speaking about the Strictly curse, he said he had no intention of pursuing anything romantic with Michelle, who is happily in a relationship with fellow dancer Simone Arena.

He told The Mirror: “The idea of that whole Strictly curse, well it’s definitely not going to be a thing here because it would be weird doing that with my sister. Michelle and I met before Strictly and we instantly had a connection. But she is like a sister, an aunt, a mum, a best friend. She’s looking after me, she’s mothering me.”