Strictly’s Sara Davies tells how she spent her anniversary in the arms of another man… Aljaz Skorjanec
THE Strictly Come Dancing “curse” has spelled the end of many a relationship — but ballroom hopeful Sara Davies reckons it will bring a sparkle to the bedroom for her husband.
The Dragons’ Den star, 37, has been with her hubby Simon since the pair were 15 and they work together in their craft supply business.
And she told The Sun on Sunday in an exclusive interview this week: “At least now we’ll have something to talk about of a night!
“When you’re working on the same things all the time at work, there’s no chit-chat at the end of the day. It’s just all the same stuff.
“Now I’ll be able to tell him what I’m doing and he can tell me what he’s been doing at work. There will be bit of pillow talk for us.”
It’s a good job they will be able to cuddle up, as Sara also told how the BBC show has already got in the way of her 14-year marriage — because she spent her wedding anniversary this week “in the arms of another man”.
The entrepreneur, who was watched by millions as she made her debut on last night’s show, swapped a romantic day with Simon this week for rehearsals with her smoulderingly handsome professional dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec, 31.
And she revealed how she even invited Aljaz home to share an anniversary dinner with her and Simon after training, saying with a laugh: “I really hope three’s not a crowd.”
Yet Sara insists there is “no chance” of her head being turned away from childhood sweetheart Simon, 41.
'ANOTHER MAN'
The mum to Oliver, seven, and Charlie, four, said: “It was my wedding anniversary on Wednesday, so I thought I would spend the whole day with my arms wrapped around another man.
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“It’s just what you do, isn’t it?
“Simon and I have been married for 14 years. But when the alarm went off this morning — my hair still covered in glitter from filming at Elstree — I only just remembered to say, ‘Happy anniversary’.
“Simon replied, ‘The kids’ uniforms are on the side, school photographs today, make sure Oliver has a shower and washes his hair. I’ll see you tonight’.
“So that was romantic! But then I was running around like mad too, getting the kids ready and getting to training. I think my life might be a bit like a military operation for the next few weeks.
“We are having an anniversary dinner at home tonight to celebrate, but I have invited Aljaz to join us.
“It’ll be the first time Aljaz meets Simon and the kids and can spend time with us as a family.”
Sara was thrilled to be paired with the former Glitter Ball winner at the pre-recorded launch show which aired last night.
And while she and Aljaz have hit it off in the rehearsal studio, Sara is full of praise for her hubby, who has supported her wholly in spite of the extra load it will place on his shoulders.
She said: “Simon and I are a husband-and-wife team at home and with the business.
“While I’m on Strictly and rehearsing all day, he’s going to have to take on the lion’s share of all of that.
“And because I’m going to be coming in shattered, he’s probably going to have to be my rock too. It’s going to be a tough few months for him. But he knew doing Strictly meant the world to me.
'NEXT CHAPTER'
“He has never mentioned that it was going to put a big strain on him. The look never even crossed his eyes.
“We’ve been together since we were 15. I was Simon’s first girlfriend and he was my first boyfriend. So we have been together for ever.
“This is just the next chapter for us.”
Sara, who took ballet lessons aged seven, says she has always loved to dance and can’t wait for her first performance on TV. But when it comes to being judged, there is one person she fears more than show favourites Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke: Her dad Frank, her toughest critic. He competed in amateur ballroom contests at Blackpool as a youngster and was judged by former Strictly head judge Len Goodman.
Sara told how he stunned the other contestants’ parents in the audience during the launch show by saying: “Our pet isn’t really good enough. She will do all right, but she won’t win it.”
She added: “Before our first performance on that show, all that was burning into my brain was, ‘Oh God, I have to get it right, my mum and dad are here’.
“My dad was an amateur dancer for six years. He’s always known I wanted to do Strictly but every time I’ve mentioned it, he’s said, ‘I don’t think you’ll be good enough, kid’.
“He’d say to me, ‘You’d be OK in the ballroom because it’s all about posture and getting dragged around by the bloke. But for the Latin you have to move and I just don’t think you’ve got rhythm’. My dad is Frank by name and frank by nature.
“After he saw the launch show and we were on the train home, he did soften his opinion slightly.
“He said, ‘You’re all right pet, you’re not good enough to win it but you’re not at the bottom’.
Sara, originally from County Durham, has been throwing her all into rehearsals this week.
Now if I get a step right that I’ve got wrong ten times before, he’ll give me a little wink.
Sara Davies
But she had one obstacle to overcome — she was too embarrassed to look Aljaz in the eyes. Sara said: “For the first ten, 15 minutes, I was looking anywhere but at him. Then I relaxed and it became a lot easier.
“Now if I get a step right that I’ve got wrong ten times before, he’ll give me a little wink.
“It is hard when you start the show and you have to get so close to your partner. I went for dinner with the other contestants Ugo Monye, Dan Walker and Adam Peaty on the evening before we filmed the launch show and they were all saying the same thing.
“You don’t quite appreciate how you have to be almost one person from the beginning. But that will work well for me. Simon only dances if — and only if — he is at a wedding and given no choice.
“So if we ever renew our vows, it will probably be Aljaz who has to do the dance with me!
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“We did dance at our wedding — to I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith — but it was terrifying and I spent almost all of the song with my eyes closed.
“But hopefully this time I’ll be much better prepared.”
