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Strictly’s Jamie Borthwick called ‘cheat’ by co-star at launch show

Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com Jamie Borthwick was branded a ‘cheat’ by one of his Strictly Come Dancing co-stars during the launch show on Saturday. His stint will mark a return to the BBC show after he competed in the Christmas Special last year, being crowned champion alongside professional dancer Nancy Xu. And…

Bintano

September 14, 2024

5 min read 5 min

Strictly’s Jamie Borthwick called ‘cheat’ by co-star at launch show

Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com

Jamie Borthwick was branded a ‘cheat’ by one of his Strictly Come Dancing co-stars during the launch show on Saturday.

His stint will mark a return to the BBC show after he competed in the Christmas Special last year, being crowned champion alongside professional dancer Nancy Xu.

And things took an awkward turn during the first episode of the series as Jamie was dubbed a ‘cheat’ for previously appearing on the show.

Host Tess Daley told Jamie: ‘Jamie you had a taste of Strictly last Christmas,’ to which co-star Wynne Evans interrupted and quipped: ‘Cheat!’ before coughing.

Elsewhere, Pete Wicks also took a dig at Jamie when he said: ‘I’m in for a penny in for a pound Pete. I’m never going to be here again am I, unless I am Jamie’.

Jamie Borthwick was branded a ‘cheat’ by one of his Strictly Come Dancing co-stars during the launch show on Saturday (pictured with pro partner Michelle Tsiakkas)

His stint will mark a return to Strictly Come Dancing after he competed in the Christmas Special last year, being crowned champion alongside professional dancer Nancy Xu

Jamie rose to fame for his portrayal as Jay Brown/Mitchell in EastEnders, which he has starred in since 2006, and is now one of the longest serving actors on the show.

In 2008 his role in EastEnders earned him a British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor, he then went on to win Best Actor at the Inside Soap Awards in 2023.

Jamie had nothing but good things to say about Strictly as he praised the show ahead of the start of the 20th anniversary series

The EastEnders actor, 30, is due to take part in the latest line up after previously winning the Christmas special with partner Nancy Xu back in 2023.

And as the soap star prepares for the live shows he confirmed he is getting along with his new partner despite ‘aching in places he didn’t know he could’.

Speaking to MailOnline at the National Television Awards on Wednesday Jamie gushed that the show is ‘magic’ as he confessed: I’m really enjoying it so far. I ‘m aching in places I didn’t know I could.

‘Strictly’s magic. It’s a magical show, and it brings a lot of happiness to people, and I’m just happy to be part of it.’

It has been a year of scandal for the show with the results of the BBC’s internal investigation into allegations against Giovanni Pernice due any day now.

Things took an awkward turn during the first episode of the series as Jamie was dubbed a ‘cheat’ for previously appearing on the show

Host Tess told Jamie: ‘Jamie you had a taste of Strictly last Christmas,’ to which co-star Wynne Evans (pictured on Saturday) interrupted and quipped: ‘Cheat!’ before coughing

Elsewhere, Pete Wicks (pictured) also took a dig at Jamie when he said: ‘I’m in for a penny in for a pound Pete. I’m never going to be here again am I, unless I am Jamie’

Speaking to MailOnline at the NTAs on Wednesday Jamie gushed: ‘I’m really enjoying it so far. I’m aching in places I didn’t know I could. Strictly’s magic. It’s a magical show, and it brings a lot of happiness to people, and I’m just happy to be part of it’

Jamie rose to fame for his portrayal as Jay Brown/Mitchell in EastEnders, which he has starred in since 2006, and is now one of the longest serving actors on the show

Commenting on the controversy, Jamie added: ‘I wasn’t there at that time. I can only speak from when I’ve been there and it’s been an absolutely fantastic place to be.

‘I did the Christmas show, and it was absolutely fantastic and it was that it was the environment that made me want to go back for the series.

‘So absolutely not a bad word at all.’

While Jamie may have won the Christmas special with his 40 point quickstep, he insisted his festive taster does not give him an advantage over the other contestants.

He joked: ‘It’s gonna be good w hen I go on and I’m not really great. Everyone will see that this whole advantage thing is not actually real. We’re all on a level playing field now.’