Ashley Roberts "totally underestimated" how hard ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ would be.
The Pussycat Dolls star has been wowing the judges on the BBC One celebrity ballroom and Latin competition with her routines with professional partner Pasha Kovalev each week, but has found her time on the show challenging despite having previous dance experience, because it’s completely "different" to what she’s used to.
She told the new issue of OK! Magazine: "I totally underestimated it. I knew it was going to be a new style, but it’s all different."
The 37-year-old singer – who was a judge on ‘Dancing on Ice’ for two years until 2014 – is grateful for the support of her bandmates, including Kimberly Wyatt and Nicole Scherzinger, who watched in the audience on the show over the weekend.
She told the publication: "Kim [Wyatt] came to the first show and it looks like her and some other Dolls might be coming down soon too, so yes, I’ve been getting support from all of them."
Ashley is a favourite to lift this year’s Glitterball Trophy with Pasha due to her previous dance experience in the chart-topping girl group along with Steps star Faye Tozer.
The ‘When I Grow Up’ hitmaker studied modern dance in California and has featured as a backing dancer in numerous music videos, including Pink’s ‘Trouble’ and Counting Crows’ ‘Accidentally In Love’.
Defending her past experience, Ashley said previously: "I miss performing and I’m excited to learn a new style of dance.
"The Latin and Ballroom world is foreign to me."
Meanwhile, Ashley has been romantically linked to the show’s dancing pro Giovanni Pernice after "really hitting it off".
The pair are said to have developed a spark after heading out for some drinks together.
An insider said: "The spark between Ashley and Giovanni has become quite widely noticed among the crew – they just seem to really hit it off.
"He is training up north at the moment while she is based down here so they only get to see each other towards the end of the week. But they’ve been making the most of it.
"After the show each week they’ve been heading out for drinks together in London and just hanging out and looking very cosy."
Ashley – who previously dated Declan Donnelly – and Giovanni, who was in a relationship with his former 2015 ‘Strictly’ partner Georgia May Foote until their 2016 split, are said to be enjoying "totally innocent fun" together.
The insider added: "It’s very early days but it looks like things are going well – and of course they’re both single so it’s all totally innocent fun."
Ashley Roberts ‘underestimated’ tricky Strictly routines
