Vicky Pattison delivered a brutally honest four-word update as Strictly Come Dancing training began: "And so it begins." The former Geordie Shore star shared images of her severely blistered and sore feet on Instagram after her first glimpse of what lies ahead in the coming weeks.
The reality TV veteran, who won I'm A Celebrity in 2015, admitted feeling like she had been "hit by a car" following her initial rehearsal session. She posted before and after photos showing the stark contrast between her fresh-faced arrival and exhausted departure from training.
"Dancing is SO HARD!" Pattison wrote to her 5.5 million followers. "I feel like I've been hit by a car and I've already got blisters.. WTF???" The 36-year-old added that she was "off to think about my life choices and apologise to all the fellas I stepped all over today."
Training reality hits celebrities
First rehearsals took place over the weekend, with all 15 celebrities experiencing the immediate physical demands of the BBC One dance contest. The show returns for its 21st year this autumn, bringing together an eclectic mix of famous faces including Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Nitro), former England footballer Karen Carney, EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal, and actress Alex Kingston.
Trailblazing model Ellie Goldstein completes the diverse lineup alongside other celebrities preparing for the ballroom challenge. Early training sessions have revealed Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Ellie Goldstein are already demonstrating strong natural dancing abilities among the contestants.
Behind-the-scenes partner process
Professional partner assignments remain unconfirmed as chemistry testing continues between celebrities and the show's professional dancers. According to Daily Star, contestants undergo "speed dancing" chemistry tests in a rotating circle format to determine the best pairings.
The official partner reveal will take place during the launch show, which airs on BBC One on September 20. Daily Star reports that professional dancers are providing real-time assessments of celebrity abilities as training intensifies ahead of the new series.
Pattison, who previously admitted being "absolutely buzzing" but "terrified" about joining the lineup, concluded her post with appreciation for her new Strictly family. "If I hang around long enough... I think I'll really love my new family," she said.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Manchester Evening News", "Daily Star" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
