Susan Calman signs up for Strictly Come Dancing

Scottish comedian Susan Calman is the ninth celebrity to join the Strictly Come Dancing line-up.
Susan Calman
. Picture: Steve UllathorneSusan Calman
. Picture: Steve Ullathorne
Susan Calman . Picture: Steve Ullathorne

She shared her excitement at finally being revealed as the ninth star to be taking part in the series on Jeremy Vine’s BBC Radio 2 show, after weeks of keeping it a secret.

Calman said: “It was three weeks of terror to this particular moment, and thank goodness it’s finally here.

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“I was not allowed to tell anybody what’s happening, so it’s been confidential. But I am so excited, I’ve been a Strictly superfan for years and this is going to be the best ride possible.”

She said she has not danced since she was at school and that she is “the last person on the dancefloor”.

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“I don’t particularly enjoy dancing in a lot of ways, I haven’t worn heels or a dress since I was 17 and I haven’t danced with a man in over a decade.”

Calman said she is 4ft 10in tall, but that having a low centre of gravity should help her on the dancefloor.

She also said: “My mother will die happy to see me in a dress. To finally see me in glitter and a dress.”

Calman, 42, posted a cryptic photograph on Twitter the day before the announcement.

Alongside a shot of her feet, she wrote: “Sleeper train to London. Off on an adventure. Best foot forward. Which I think is this one.”

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In 2006 Calman decided to give up her career as a corporate lawyer to work as a comedian.

She was recently seen on screen hosting BBC One’s daytime quiz show, The Boss, and also fronted BBC Four’s Prejudice And Pride: The People’s History Of LGBTQ Britain alongside Stephen K Amos.

Calman has appeared on comedy panel shows including QI and Mock The Week.

She penned a book called Cheer Up Love in which she wrote openly about dealing with depression.

Last year Calman married Lee Cormack - her partner of over a decade - who is a lawyer.

In July she announced she was cancelling her Autumn tour dates, The Calman Before The Storm, due to a “television commitment”.

Posting on Twitter she explained: “It is with huge regret that I’ve had to cancel my tour dates in Autumn. I was really looking forward to performing but unfortunately a television commitment has come up which means I won’t be able to tour.

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“This is a decision that hasn’t been taken lightly, I know that many people have bought tickets far in advance and I apologise from the bottom of my heart. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back to the venues involved soon and make it up to you.”

She joins the other eight celebrity contestants already announced, which include The Saturdays’ Mollie King, former JLS singer Aston Merrygold and This Morning’s Ruth Langsford.

Also hoping to samba to success are Sunday Brunch presenter Simon Rimmer, former Emmerdale star Gemma Atkinson, Reverend Richard Coles, Holby City’s Joe McFadden and EastEnders star Davood Ghadami.

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