Dr. Punam Krishan was announced as the fifth Strictly Come Dancing 2024 contestant on Tuesday morning during Vernon Kay’s BBC Radio 2 show.
She is the latest star to join the likes of JLS star JB Gill, blind comedian Chris McCausland, Welsh singer Wynne Evans and singer Toyah Willcox.
Married mother-of-two Punam revealed to Vernon, who is married to Strictly host Tess Daly, she is ready to be pushed ‘out of her comfort zone’.
The Scottish GP said she is going to ask for advice from her Morning Live co-stars Kym Marsh, Kimberley Walsh and Helen Skelton, who previously took part in the BBC competition.
MailOnline take a look at the famous GP as she prepares to take to the dancefloor for the dazzling 20th series of the BBC show.
Dr. Punam Krishan was announced as the latest Strictly Come Dancing 2024 contestant on Tuesday morning during Vernon Kay ‘s BBC Radio 2 show
The Scottish GP has said she is going to ask for advice from her Morning Live co-stars Kym Marsh, Kimberley Walsh and Helen Skelton, who previously took part in the BBC competition
Who is Dr. Punam?
Punam is a broadcaster on TV, radio and national newspapers, who is passionate about using her platform to teach people more about their physical and mental health.
The NHS GP is one of the resident doctors on BBC Morning Live and on BBC Radio Scotland’s Phone In Surgery.
She is also an author of How to Be a Doctor and Other Life-Saving Jobs and has additional books in the pipeline.
Punam is happily married and has two children, a son Aarish, 11, and a daughter Ellora, four, who she regularly shares snaps with on Instagram.
The Scottish TV star is a huge fan of Strictly and revealed she watches the show every Saturday with her family.
She said: ‘This is surreal, me and the kids sit down and watch it every week and now I’m jumping off the sofa and onto the TV.
Punam is an NHS GP and is one of the resident doctors on BBC Morning Live and on BBC Radio Scotland’s Phone In Surgery
She is happily married and has two children, a son Aarish, 11, and a daughter Ellora, four, who she regularly shares snaps with on Instagram
The Scottish TV star is a huge fan of Strictly and revealed she watches the show every Saturday with her two children
She previously attended a live Strictly show at Elstree Studios and met a number of the professional dancers and judges including Anton Du Beke
Admitting she is a superfan, she wrote: ‘Anyone who knows me knows I love Strictly! I’ve watched every series since it started and my most favourite weekend is always Halloween’
‘I don’t know what the kids will think but I’m sure they’ll be watching and I don’t know how this is happening to someone like me.’
She also previously attended a live Strictly show at Elstree Studios and met a number of the professional dancers and judges including Anton Du Beke.
Punam wrote in an Instagram post last year: ‘Anyone who knows me knows I love Strictly! I’ve watched every series since it started and my most favourite weekend is always the Halloween one so to have the opportunity to watch it LIVE last night was next level excitement!
‘It really is spectacular to watch it in the studio. Thanks to BBC Morning Live, I have had the privilege to getting to know the gorgeous pros so it was even more special getting to hand out with some of them as well as meeting legends that are Anton Du Beke’.
Famous friends
On Morning Live, she has become close pals with a number of the pro dancers including Neil Jones and Janette Manrara who regularly make appearances.
Fellow presenter and Girls Aloud star Kimberley, who finished runner-up in the BBC show in 2012, shared a sweet message supporting Punam.
She wrote on her Instagram Story: ‘Cannot tell you how happy this makes me!’
Punam admitted in her announcement interview that she is going to have to ask her celebrity pals how they balanced ‘mum life’ with ‘sparkling’ each week on TV.
She said: ‘The Morning Live gang don’t know until now but I’m so blessed and Kimberley Walsh, Helen Skelton and Kym Marsh have all done it and there working mums and I want to know how they did it and how they showed up and sparkled with everything else’.
On Morning Live, she has become close pals with a number of the pro dancers including Neil Jones and Janette Manrara who regularly make appearances
Fellow presenter and Girls Aloud star Kimberley, who finished runner-up in the BBC show in 2012, shared a sweet message supporting Punam
Punam admitted in her announcement interview that she is going to have to ask her celebrity pals how they balanced ‘mum life’ with ‘sparkling’ each week on TV (pictured with Kimberley)
Last year, Punam made an appearance on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two
She added: ‘Its a pinch me moment for the 20th year and being a fan I’m so grateful for the opportunity. Bring on the sparkles.’
Strictly has been plunged into chaos in recent weeks as a number of allegations of abuse from professionals have come to light.
The scandal erupted when actress Amanda Abbington quit the show last year before claiming that her partner Giovanni Pernice was abusive towards her – later leaving the show.
Soon after it emerged that Graziano Di Prima had been sacked for ‘kicking’ his partner Love Island star Zara McDermott.
Despite the flurry of allegations, Strictly is ploughing ahead with its 2024 series, with the full lineup due to be confirmed in the coming days.
Earlier this month it was revealed TOWIE star Pete Wicks has signed up, despite the news his close pal Zara McDermott was physically and verbally abused by her professional dance partner Graziano Di Prima last year.
Meanwhile ex Arsenal player Paul Merson and DIY SOS star Nick Knowles have also reportedly put on their dancing shoes.
Meanwhile Tom Dean has broken Strictly rules by revealing he has signed up to compete on the upcoming series before the official announcement.
Wynne Evans and Toyah Willcox were also confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2024
Meanwhile Tom Dean has broken Strictly rules by revealing he has signed up to compete on the upcoming series before the official announcement
The swimmer, 24, will follow in the footsteps of his teammate Adam Peaty as he confirmed recent reports he will be taking part.
The BBC go to great lengths to keep the celebrities taking part in each series top secret and stars usually don’t comment on speculation until it’s officially confirmed.
But Tom confirmed he is getting ready to take to the dancefloor while speaking after the men’s 200 metres individual medley at the Olympics in Paris on Thursday.
He said: ‘Naturally you want to take a break after you’ve had a full Olympic cycle and the opportunity arose. I thought it would be really exciting to try something a bit different. I’ll be doing that and straight back into training after it.
