Yahoo News Strictly's Sam Quek reveals why she created alter ego for show
The hockey star made up a character to help her perform her Samba
What did you miss?
Strictly’s Sam Quek has revealed she had to come up with an alter ego so she could let “sexy Sam” out for the BBC show.
The sports star has more experience on the hockey pitch than the dancefloor and admitted she isn’t used to some of the moves required for the ballroom contest. She talked it over with her pro partner Nikita Kuzmin, who gave her a "pep talk".
And during an appearance on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two she explained that they came up with the idea of creating an alter ego.
What, how and why?
Quek was on the BBC show on Friday, 18 October, which was also her 36th birthday. Host Janette Manrara asked her about unleashing her sexy side for the Samba she performed on Saturday, and she said to Kuzmin: “You gave me a little bit of a pep talk on Thursday wasn’t it? And we decided that the alter ego was going to be called…”
“Samantha,” Kuzmin chimed in, with an accent. “Ah with an accent even!” said Manrara.
“Exactly, just a little bit to... just embrace the curves and touch your body,” Quek laughed.
“I just don't touch my body! But yes, just embrace the curves and your waist and your thighs.”
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Manrara quizzed Kuzmin on how he helped Quek come out of her comfort zone and do different things on the dancefloor and he explained: “We just talk. Both of us are quite straightforward… so I am just able to talk to Sam the way I would talk to a friend. Just, ‘Listen this is the way it is’ and she tells me, ‘Listen, this is the way I feel.’ And we just communicate.”
Quek agreed: “We are so straight… it just helps because we don't waste time because, again, we trust each other completely, and we have a good laugh. But I feel full confidence from Nikita. I trust him, I trust the process.”
What else happened on It Takes Two?
Quek was dressed in a pale pink sequinned dress for It Takes Two and seemed to be worrying about a wardrobe malfunction as she sat on the sofa. She told Manrara she would have got up to hug her but said her dress was a bit "tight" and “short”.
The hockey ace questioned whether it was a “bit much” for so early in the evening but Manrara said it was just right for her birthday. She added that "we love the sparkle" on It Takes Two.
Strictly: It Takes Two airs on BBC Two at 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One at 6.25pm on Saturday.
