Eastenders star Jamie Borthwick has reportedly signed up for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The actor, 30, is said to be gearing up to get his dancing shoes on for the BBC competition which kicks off in September, having had a taste for it last year, when he won the Christmas special with pro dancer Nancy Xu.
According to The Sun, he is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Bobby Brazier, who narrowly lost to ex-Coronation Street star Ellie Leach in the Strictly final last year.
A source said: ‘Although an EastEnders actor is on Strictly every year, this is the first time a performer on the festive special has gone directly into the competition.
‘Producers and viewers were blown away by Jamie’s dancing.
Eastenders star Jamie Borthwick has reportedly signed up for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing (pictured with dancer Nancy Xu at the Strictly Christmas Special 2023)
A source told The Sun that although an EastEnders actor appears on Strictly every year, ‘this is the first time a performer on the festive special has gone directly into the competition’
‘It’s not clear yet whether he will take a break from the soap or if he’ll juggle dance rehearsals with doing scenes for the soap.’
MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.
Jamie who has starred on the soap for 18 years, could be joining other rumoured celebrities; Nicola Roberts, Dave Fishwick, Chris McCausland, Gladiator Nitro, Coronation Street actress Helen Worth, Olympian Laura Kenny and 80’s icon Toyah Willcox.
Strictly Come Dancing has been rocked by scandals as of late as the series has seen a number of complaints about professional Giovanni Pernice.
A male celebrity has joined the group of women making complaints about his behaviour during their time on Strictly Come Dancing, according to reports.
Last month, it was confirmed three women, including Amanda Abbington, had hired £700-an-hour lawyers at leading London law firm Carter Ruck to pursue claims against Giovanni and the BBC.
The BBC have launched an investigation after the dancer, 33, was accused of ‘threatening and abusive behaviour’ while working with Amanda, 52, Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh, 46, and former Love Island host Laura Whitmore, 39, on the show – something which he vehemently denies.
Despite the furore, head judge Shirley Ballas has stood by the under-fire pro and will join him in hosting a number of dance classes in London this month.
The actor is said to have impressed producers and blew away viewers with his performance last year on the Christmas special
Jamie who has starred on the soap for 18 years, plays Jay Mitchell and it is not known if he will take a break from the soap or juggle dance rehearsals with filming
Strictly has been rocked by scandals as of late as the series has seen a number of complaints about professional Giovanni Pernice (pictured with his dance partner Amanda Abbington in October 2023)
Despite the furore, head judge Shirley Ballas has stood by the under-fire pro and will join him in hosting a number of dance classes in London this month
Named Ballando, the one day event is led by Shirley, Giovanni and Anton Du Beke as they share their expertise with fans.
In the latest twist of the bitter legal battle, the unnamed star, who worked with Giovanni during his time on the show, is said to have shared his experiences with the law firm.
‘After three women came forward, a man has now joined their ranks. He personally reached out to the women at the heart of this unfolding crisis, offering them his support and full backing,’ a source told The Sun.
‘He has also been in touch with Carter Ruck and told them what he knows, and shared his experiences. These experiences were, at times, very tricky.’
Giovanni launched a fightback by hiring rival law firm Schillings. His case is being handled by Joelle Rich, 39, who represented Johnny Depp in his libel trial in 2020.