It’s been a bizarre year in both politics and pop culture, and Ed Balls has now admitted to finding his current position in things a little odd.
This time two years ago, he was part of the Shadow Cabinet and now he’s sporting lycra and sequins to strut his stuff on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ every Saturday.
Chris Jackson via Getty Images
Throw in Brexit and well… it’s just proving to be a weird year isn’t it?
The politician-turned-dancer reflected on how things have gone while speaking to The Huffington Post UK and other reporters on the red carpet at the Pride Of Britain Awards on Monday (31 October) night.
“In life, you should always look forward to what is happening next,” he said. “And as it happens, the country is in turmoil and I’m doing the cha-cha-cha.
“That’s just how it works out.”
Luckily, his dance partner Katya Jones is on hand to offer some sage advice during training, and revealed that at the weekend she told him something along the lines of: “The country is not going to go anywhere… And focus on your cha-cha-cha.”
Never a truer word was spoken.
Ed and Katya weren’t the only ‘Strictly’ stars in attendance on the night, and they were joined by celebs including Judge Rinder, Danny Mac and Daisy Lowe.
See all the pictures from the Pride Of Britain Awards red carpet below…
Pride Of Britain Awards Red Carpet
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Olly Murs attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Ferne McCann attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Louis Walsh and Four of Diamonds attend the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards in Partnership with TSB at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. The show will be broadcast on ITV on Tuesday November 1st at 8pm. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave Hogan/Getty Images) (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: John Thomson attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Emily Middlemas and Ryan Lawrie attend the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Helen Skelton attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Charley Webb attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Mary Berry attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Amanda Byram attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Frankie Bridge attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Sir Chris Hoy and Sarra Kemp attend the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Natalie Anderson attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Candice Brown attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Gloria Hunniford and Sir Cliff Richard attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Ashleigh Butler and Pudsey attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Kimblerley Walsh attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Joe Wicks attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Laura Whitmore attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Alesha Dixon attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Emma Bunton attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: David Seaman with his wife Frankie Poultney attend the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Laura Trott attends the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Joanne Clifton attends the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Charlotte Hawkins attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Prime Minister Theresa May with her husband Philip John May attend the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Tom Jones attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Alesha Dixon attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Nicole Scherzinger attends the Pride Of Britain awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Singer Nicola Roberts poses with fans as she attends the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Richard Hammond and Amanda Etheridge attend the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards in Partnership with TSB at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. The show will be broadcast on ITV on Tuesday November 1st at 8pm. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave Hogan/Getty Images) (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Simon Cowell attends the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Ola Jordan attends the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Harry and Izzy Judd attend the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards in Partnership with TSB at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. The show will be broadcast on ITV on Tuesday November 1st at 8pm. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave Hogan/Getty Images) (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Les Dennis and Sue Cleaver attend the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave Hogan/Getty Images) (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Actress Michelle Keegan and husband Mark Wright attend the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Nicole Scherzinger attends the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards in Partnership with TSB at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. The show will be broadcast on ITV on Tuesday November 1st at 8pm. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave Hogan/Getty Images) (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Singer James Arthur attends the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman attend the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Lucy Watson and James Dunmore attend the Pride Of Britain Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 31, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)