Strictly's Neil Jones says he is happy being show's "cheerleader"
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Strictly Come Dancing pro Neil Jones is a self-described "cheerleader" for the show.
With only two competitive series under his belt since joining the show - having been partnered with footballer Alex Scott in 2019 and EastEnders actress Nina Wadia in 2021 - Jones has spent the majority of his time on Strictly taking part in the group routines.
"Every year I say 'as long as I'm still enjoying Strictly and they still want me, then I'm happy to keep doing it, with or without a partner,'" he told OK!
Related: Strictly's Gemma Atkinson reveals Gorka's cheeky request when home from filming
"Then they call me a second time, which is to say whether I have a partner or not, and I tell them before they get a chance to say it, that I really don't mind either way. I'm the Strictly cheerleader and am always rooting for the celebs.
"I give pep talks to them and say 'whatever you do, just listen to your partner, that's the main thing. Ignore the judges, they will give you scores but your pro is with you every day and knows what they are doing, so listen to them,'" Jones also revealed.
He continued: "My first year doing the show, I got quite a few comments about not having a partner which was difficult. Especially because I'd come from a world where I was the No.1 dancer for three years and hadn't lost a single competition.
Related: Strictly's Neil Jones shares 1-year anniversary tribute to fiancée Chyna Mills
"So, to then see messages from people saying 'Why is he even there? He's not even dancing, is he good enough for the show?' is hard. And at the beginning you want to answer people back, but it's not worth doing that."
The dancer and choreographer recently welcomed his first child with his fiancée, Love Island star Chyna Mills, with the couple revealing earlier this week that their baby daughter had arrived.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Tickets for Strictly's 2024 live arena tour are available now.
Interested in talking about Strictly Come Dancing? Visit our dedicated sub-forum
You Might Also Like
