They may have been on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but Ed Balls is hoping for David Cameron’s support on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
The ex-Labour MP has revealed that he wants the former prime minister to vote for him when he takes to the floor on the BBC ballroom show.
Speaking to The Huffington Post UK and other journalists at the official ‘Strictly’ launch, Ed said: “David Cameron hasn’t actually texted me to congratulate me, but I’m hoping he’ll vote for me. That would be great.”
Addressing how the political world reacted to the announcement he would be one of the 15 celebrity contestants taking part in this year’s series, Ed continued: “The reaction, I would say, has been universally positive from the world of politics. Actually, it’s such a great show and something everybody fancies doing.
“It’s hard to do it when you are in Parliament, but I have the chance in my life to do something I haven’t done before, so I thought, what a wonderful thing to do. Who knows what will happen in the future?”
Ed said that his wife, Labour MP Yvette Cooper, has been particularly encouraging, adding: “Yvette said you’ve got to do it, and generally everybody has been really positive. All I hope is that they vote for me.”
However, MPs don’t have a great track record when it comes to ‘Strictly’, with Ann Widdecombe and Edwina Currie both showcasing less-than-impressive footwork when they took part in previous series.
“I’m hoping to build upon their achievements,” he joked. “I’ve read the advice they’ve given me, and there is some good advice.
“It’s very, very hard work is the truth. It’s really intense but great fun,” he said of training for the show. “We had eight hours in the heat, and I’ve run the London Marathon and it was harder than that!”
‘Strictly Come Dancing’ starts tonight (3 September) at 6.50pm on BBC One.
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