Strictly secrets revealed by Punam Krishan, Scotland’s dancing doctor, back in this week’s final.

If manifest is the word of 2024, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, no-one embodies it more than Dr Punam Krishan, the Glasgow GP and self-proclaimed ‘mum dancer’ who shimmied out of her surgery to appear on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. If points were awarded for willing something into existence, Krishan would get four ‘Tens!’ from the judges.

“Strictly was such a huge dream of mine,” she says, back in Glasgow and looking forward to her return to our screens in the final this week. “I had manifested this for years and I wasn’t going to let this opportunity go by.”

Dr Punam Krishan is a GP in her native Glasgow, and had always wanted to take part in Strictly. Thanks to Kimpton Blythswood Square, Glasgow. | Lisa Ferguson

The 41-year-old GP, who also appears in the medical slot on BBC’s Morning Live on Fridays, has always loved dancing but with a busy medical career and young family, it was restricted to bopping around her kitchen with her 11-year old son and four year old daughter.

“I thought it was a joke to start with when I got the call, then I was thrilled. “My little girl is only four so didn’t really understand but my son and I have watched Strictly since he was tiny and dance around with all the dancers. He would say ‘I can see you doing that mummy’ so when I told him I was going to be on it, he was just ecstatic and said ‘I told you so.’

“When you step into a moment you never imagined would happen and it lives up to your dream, it’s a very special feeling.I loved every second. And I can’t wait to see everyone again at the final when we get to dance one more time together, and this time there’s no pressure.”

With her insider’s eye, Krishan goes on to reveal some of the secrets of Strictly for those of us who have never been behind the scenes.

Dr Punam Krishan and her professional dance partner Gorka Marquez on Strictly Come Dancing. | BBC/Guy Levy

CAN YOU TELL US SOMETHING THE AUDIENCE AT HOME NEVER SEES?

“In between the dances the set changes so quickly - they’ve only got the time when we’re talking to Claudia and the next film is being played, about five minutes, and this army of people run out, some hoiking off the old set and others pulling on a brand new one. And for sprinkles, sparkles, sequins, anything that’s been showered onto the dancefloor, huge vacuums come down from above and suck it all away. It’s such a huge machine and there are hundreds of people involved, all whizzing around. It’s impressive to watch. I feel like everyone should get to experience being in the audience once in their life; it’s magical.

WHAT’S IT LIKE BACKSTAGE, BEHIND THE SCENES?

Amazing. You walk through the corridors, and the doors are all glittery and there are rails and rails of costumes. Even the video rooms and tanning room, everything, is sequinned up to the max. You enter the Strictly planet and it is everything I ever imagined.

WHAT’S GORKA REALLY LIKE?

Definitely a friend for life. He was the best teacher I could have had. We’re both working parents so understood the challenges of that and he really helped me come out of my shell - I was so nervous. He moved to Glasgow where we trained Monday to Thursday and I was still working and don’t do very well when I’m not with my children, so that was great. He was already a lover of Glasgow but really enjoyed it, embraced it all. We got him into a kilt and he didn’t want to take it off. He was stopped everywhere and said ‘people are so friendly’ and I said ‘yes, they are!’

WHAT ABOUT THE FOOD THAT’S ON OFFER AT STRICTLY?

There’s a Strictly Star Bar full of Strictly-inspired snacks and food. Everything is very sparkly, even the salad bar, although the menu’s all very healthy. But they’re very big on sweet treats as well, just to keep your energy going and everyone’s always tucking into Haribo’s between dancing.

DO YOU GET TO KEEP ANY OF THE CLOTHES?

No sadly. But we got personalised Strictly Come Dancing gowns, so I managed to come away with that - they have our names on - and when I watch on the sofa, it’s a cosy reminder that I’ve been part of this year’s team. I think ‘gosh, that did happen?’, Yes! Because I’ve got the gown as a reminder.

IS THE STRICTLY WORLD AS SURREAL AS IT LOOKS?

It is wonderful and then you come out at the end of the day into normal land back into your joggers and feel like you’ve just been on a bizarre planet. Then you’re back in again, glitzed up to the max and transformed, which helps with the characterisation, then you’re back out again. It’s really surreal.

As the daughter of parents who came from Punjab to Scotland in the 1970s Krishan was delighted to be able to celebrate her dual heritage, with dance influences ranging from ceilidh to bhangra to hip hop. Her dance to ‘Bhole Chudiye’, a song from the film Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham… was the first traditional Bollywood number ever performed on the programme.

Dr Punam Krishan and Gorke Marqez dance to ‘Bhole Chudiye’, a song from the Bollywood classic film, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham…, the first traditional Bollywood number ever performed on the programme. | BBC/Guy Levy

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SEE BOLLYWOOD MUSIC AND DANCE ON TV ON SATURDAY NIGHT?

It was the most special moment of Strictly for me, and one of the most special moments of my life. Growing up I never imagined seeing a Bollywood song, especially a classic Bollywood song, on mainstream telly. If we wanted to watch Indian films or listen to Indian music it was always on the Indian TV channels. Growing up in Glasgow as a first generation, you really want that sense of feeling like you belong. If you are from two mixed cultures it was a really special moment being able to represent that side of my culture and my family were just so unbelievably proud.

It connected with people in ways I couldn’t have imagined with people across the world talking about Indian music, culture, clothes, Bollywood. And people were watching Strictly that had never ever watched it before, so that was huge. It was unbelievable and I’m very proud we had the opportunity to do that.

KRISHAN IS MARRIED TO DR SANDESH GULHANE, MSP AND SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVE SHADOW CABINET SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE. IS HE ALSO A DANCE LOVER?

I think we can safely say dancing is not his thing. It’s never been his thing. He’s very much just left me to get on with it. But me and the kids have always danced around the house, and it’s heightened that. They’re very excited.

HAS STRICTLY CHANGED WHAT YOU DANCE TO?

I’m still very much the kitchen mum dancer I’ve always been. But it’s been so exciting learning dancing. I’ve always wanted to do that. But will I be foxtrotting and cha-cha-cha-ing around the kitchen? No.

WHO GAVE YOU THE BEST PEP TALKS?

Gorka taught me breathing techniques and filled me with confidence. And every week when I was terrified, I’d always speak to my son - who does drama and musicals - and he’d say ‘what do you say to me mummy every time I’m doing a show? Be confident, do your best, you’ve got this, shine bright!’

Despite appearing on TV on Fridays with her GP hat on, public appearances are well outside Krishan’s comfort zone.

“I’ve never performed,” she says, “never done anything like that before. I was that child throughout school and university that hated public speaking. I would call in sick if I had a presentation to do so it’s ironic that I’m performing in front of millions of people.”

“I’m just your ordinary GP, mum, from Glasgow, who is trying to fake it till she makes it.

Dr Punam Krishan had always wanted to learn to dance but until Strictly came along, never had the chance. Thanks to Kimpton Blythswood Square, Glasgow. | Lisa Ferguson

DID SHE HAVE HER EYE ON THE GLITTERBALL FROM THE START?

“At the beginning before the first dance I said to Gorka [Márquez] ‘I just don’t want to fall on my bum’, ‘don’t want to forget my steps’ and the whole one minute forty went by in an absolute haze. At the end he was high fiving me but I missed it because I was thinking ‘I didn’t fall and I didn’t forget’.

I really didn’t want to be the first voted off, and I really wanted to get to Halloween week, which was my kids’ favourite. I got to be a really cool, fierce pirate, so I reached those milestones.

WHAT DID STRICTLY TEACH YOU ABOUT YOURSELF?

A lot about what my body can do. I’m 41, we’ve got two children and I certainly wasn’t as fit as I am now. As a GP a lot of my day is spent sitting at a desk and the only running around is for the kids. Through dance I’ve learned I am capable and have not lost flexibility that can be worked on, strengthening your core, finding your centre of balance, improving your posture. It’s encouraged me to keep that going because I would hate to go back to how it used to be. Getting fit through dance has really inspired me and with some of my school mums, we’ve decided to join a dance class together, to have a giggle. The challenge, as working mums, is finding a time you can all make it work.

You get to a point in life where you’re in a role of what your job is, you’re a parent, a daughter, a wife, and you sometimes forget about just having a good time. We feel guilty, but I was able to tap into that version of me and realise that I can have fun,

WHAT DID YOU TAKE FROM BEING A DOCTOR ONTO THE DANCE FLOOR?

Dealing with pressure and high levels of stress, giving it your all. As fun as Strictly is, you are presented with a challenge at the beginning of the week and have to deliver. Viewers see the glitz, glamour, this glorious dance for one minute 40 seconds and you think how hard can that be? But being able to execute it is a lot of hours put in and to do it under the pressure, it’s a lot of hard work.

WHAT DID YOU TAKE BACK FROM STRICTLY INTO BEING A GP. DID YOU THINK THIS SURGERY NEEDS SOME SPARKLE?

Just being able to have a laugh is what Strictly did. In my practice at our coffee break everyone was singing and dancing and my practice manager would shimmy across the corridor to me, so I think we got to see our personalities more and our patients got to see that as well as a doctor you are just a human being. One minute you’re talking about a rash and the next they’re talking about your outfit from Saturday night.

Medicine is what I know and love and our jobs are serious. The healthcare system sometimes becomes all your life and world so we need to find outlets to relax and do fun things. Strictly has ignited a passion to learn something new and remember to do things outside of medicine, to keep that mental health aspect going.

Strictly and medicine lend themselves to each other so when you’re stressed after a long, hard day at work, it was magical to just be dancing. It puts your mind elsewhere. Then coming back from Strictly, my job as a GP gave me huge doses of perspective, about what truly matters. When you’re beating yourself up because you didn’t do as well as you hoped in a dance, you know people have got bigger battles going on. Hopefully I was able to be a good messenger for those of us that are in the NHS, doing our best under current circumstances, and working mums out there.

Dr Punam Krishan appears in the medical slot on BBC’s Morning Live on Fridays, as well has in the current series of Strictly Come Dancing. Thanks to Kimpton Blythswood Square, Glasgow. | Lisa Ferguson

HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING VOTED OFF, WERE YOU SAD?

I was gutted, I’m not going to lie. I put my all into each dance and every week I tried to take on board all the feedback. I tried my absolute best, I went out every single week and gave it everything I had and some, especially in that dance off when I danced as if my life depended on it. So I walked away knowing that there’s nothing else I could have done.

WHO DO YOU THINK WILL LIFT THE GLITTERBALL?

I don’t know who is going to win but I would love to see Sarah [Hadland] and Chris [McCausland] in the final. Having a blether and cups of tea with them, sharing the nerves and saying ‘did we do OK?’ was one of my favourite parts of Strictly.

WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW STRICTLY IS OVER?

I’m a GP who absolutely loves her job. It’s humbling and comes with a lot of privilege to be able to help people. I’ll keep doing that. And I’ve got two children’s books coming out - one in January, one in August.

I’ve learnt that if an opportunity presents itself no matter how scary or daunting, just say yes. Because we can’t reverse time - we’ve only got now.

Dr Punam Krishan will appear in The Strictly Come Dancing final on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 14th December at 6pm.