Strictly Come Dancing stars Greg Rutherford and Ore Oduba plan to turn Blackpool trip into booze-fest as they both turn 30
STRICTLY’S annual away trip to Blackpool has always had a bit of a party atmosphere.
But this year, two of the celebrities are planning to turn the prized pilgrimage into the booziest event yet.
Both GREG RUTHERFORD and ORE ODUBA are celebrating their 30th birthdays and don’t intend to let it pass quietly.
Ore even hinted they would be getting the drinks out on the bus up for this weekend’s show.
He said: “Greg and I realised in the first few weeks that our birthday would fall in the week leading up to Blackpool.
“It’s so ridiculous to me that I’m sharing a birthday with an Olympian, on the bus to Blackpool to dance in Strictly at the weekend. That sentence would never make sense at any other time of my life.
“It’s a memory we will frame forever. We’ll all be travelling to Blackpool so expect it to be a bit of a party bus.”
An insider said the stars have been aiming to get to Blackpool for weeks and really want to let down their hair after the show.
They added: “The boys’ birthdays are the perfect excuse and I know everyone, including the judges, is desperate to have a few drinks out on the town.”
But Greg, who was in a bottom two dance-off last week with DAISY LOWE, was a bit more restrained.
The long-jumper, who tweeted a picture while enjoying a cheeky cider with dance partner NATALIE LOWE last night had publicly said he would wait until after Saturday’s show to celebrate.
He added: “Everyone’s saying Blackpool is a big night after the show. I’m so excited.”
I hope any early partying doesn’t end up with them in the bottom two.
More to shed for loser Ed
FROM THERESA MAY to DAME JOAN COLLINS, everyone seems amazed by ED BALLS’ Strictly successes.
That is, everyone except his wife, former Shadow Home Secretary YVETTE COOPER.
Ex-Shadow Chancellor Ed revealed his other half still wants him to be slimmer, even though he has already shed lots since Strictly began.
In an exclusive interview, Ed said: “I’ve definitely lost over a stone now. I did a quick half stone in the first month, then it sort of slowed down and now it’s carried on.
“But Yvette’s view is that it’s nowhere near enough. I think she probably thinks I’m half way there, just – maybe not.
“I think she thinks, ‘A lot done, a lot more to do’ – that was Labour’s slogan in 2001.
“I think Yvette has the same feeling about this but when you spend as many hours as you do training, we definitely get much fitter.”
Yvette had better keep voting for Ed if she wants him to get even lighter on his feet.
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Rio stars ready to rumba
TEAM GB Olympic medallists are heading to the ballroom for this year’s BBC Children in Need Strictly special.
And it looks like they are on track to bag some high scores.
Rower HELEN GLOVER MBE, hockey player HOLLIE WEBB, canoeist JOE CLARKE, who all won gold, and taekwondo silver medal winner LUTALO MUHAMMAD, hope to impress the judges.
They compete for the Pudsey Glitterball trophy, with dancers NEIL JONES, JANETTE MANRARA, KAREN CLIFTON and PASHA KOVALEV.
