Strictly Come DancingĀ goes to Wembley tomorrow night in aid ofĀ Children In NeedĀ as the remaining 9 couples dance to secure their place in the competition.
Last week Team RiRo aka Lisa Riley and Robin Windsor achieved their highest score yet being awarded 32 points for their entertaining Foxtrot. This meant that they finished fourth in the leaderboard at the end of Saturday nightās live show.
This week Robin was struck down with the vomiting bug and spent Wednesday resting up to ensure he was well enough to dance in tomorrowās Wembley spectacular. We called him yesterday to see how he was feeling, talk about last weekās show and get the gossip on all things Wembley.
How are you feeling now?
I am feeling much, much better. Iāve the lovely 24-hour Norovirus thatās been going round. I went to rehearsals in the morning and they told me to go straight back home because they didnāt want me to pass it on to everybody else who hasnāt had it yet. I was in confinement in my bedroom for the entire day bored out of my brains.
Surely it was a great excuse to catch up on some TV Robin?
Youād be surprised that I didnāt even turn on the TV yesterday except to watchĀ It Takes TwoĀ at 6.30pm.
Fingers crossed that you continue to feel better. Letās talk about last weekendās Foxtrot. How do you feel it went?
Last weekās Foxtrot was absolutely incredible. Lisa was just the epitome of Broadway and she sold it. She was everything I could have asked for. Her footwork was great, her posture was much better and yes she was still leading a little bit but weāre working on it day-by-day.
The judges passed comment last weekend on how much Lisaās footwork has improved. That must feel like a sense of achievement for you both?
Weāve worked so hard on the footwork. It was nice to hear from the judges that theyād seen that and that they marked and commended us on that. It was our highest score to date and who would have thought that it would be a Ballroom dance?
Itās proof that Lisa is versatile isnāt it?
Lisa is completely versatile. Sheās no one-trick-pony and sheās coming along in all of the dance styles. I canāt wait for our Samba this week.
What can we expect from a Team RiRo Samba?
Weāre dancing to theĀ Car WashĀ and itās at Wembley so it needs to be big, grand and camp; thatās exactly what everyoneās going to get.
We take it that means weāll be seeing the fun side of Lisa again?
Youāll see more than the fun side of Lisa this weekā¦
Is there anything crazy in the routine or are you keeping all the details under wraps?
Weāre ending the routine with something very special and weāre also beginning the routine with a few things really special. I canāt tell you much about it except that Lisaās in heaven at the beginning of the routine.
Youāre not going to end up on your head again are you?
Ermā¦no (laughs) but there is a nice little surprise at the end.
How have the rehearsals been going this week? Is Lisa picking the routine up?
Lisaās picked up the Samba really, really well. The biggest thing in Samba is bounce and thatās something Lisaās got bundles of. Thatās something I never have to teach it and sheās just got straight away. Thereās a lot of choreography so sheās had a little bit of difficulty picking it all up but weāve only had two days. Obviously Artem stepped in yesterday which I think Lisa was secretly very happy about because we all know sheās got a massive crush on him.
She looked happy on āIt Takes Twoā on Wednesday night when she won Artem as a presentā¦
Yeah, she had a big grin on her face. Sheās got a little secret crush (laughs).
What was Artem doing with Lisa then yesterday in rehearsals?
Artem went through the routine cleaning up arms and footwork. He was just making sure that Lisa knows the routine going through it time-and-time again keeping it in control until I could make my return. Heās my best friend and I trust him immensely.
Lisa commented on āIt Takes Twoā that Artem isnāt the taskmaster that other people have suggested he is. Is that true?
I donāt know. Iāve never seen that side of him. I donāt know what Lisa might have done to him to make him a little bit more relaxed. Iāll see at rehearsal today what heās actually done to her (laughs).
We all know, and you mentioned earlier, that Artem is a good friend of yours. Were you gutted to see him go at the weekend?
I donāt normally shed many tears but I was actually quite tearful after Artem and Fern were voted off last week. Heās my best friend and he was sad. I donāt like to see him sad but he and Fern did such fantastic jobs. Theyāll be missed hugely but of course Artem will be there for the group numbers this week.
Last week proved that anybody can end up in the bottom two. Kimberley and Pasha being in there was a shockerā¦
I know! It was a huge shock and there were gasps in the audience when Kimberleyās name was announced to be in the bottom two. Everyone was so shocked. It goes to prove that nobody is safe and anyone could go.
It wouldnāt be right for us to not mention your little incident last weekendā¦
Yes, I did have a little slip at the bottom of the stairs. Thank goodness it wasnāt during the number. I gracefully picked myself up and I was very embarrassed as you could see. These things happen. Itās live TV. I was a little excited. Ā I was running towards the stairs and thought Iād be a little bit clever and skid towards them. I was going so fast that my poor little legs couldnāt stop me and I went onto this old lady in the front row. I went down and gave her a big kiss and a hug afterwards.
At least you probably made her eveningā¦
It did. She was over the moon bless her.
What can we expect from the Wembley show this week?
This week you can guarantee itās going to be the show of all shows. Jason Gilkison, the choreographer and director ofĀ Burn The Floor, has been choreographing our group numbers and heās an absolute genius. Everybody should really look forward to these group numbers this week, they are going to be spectacular.
Thereās some great musical guests too this weekend. Kimberleyās performing with Girls Aloud and Kylie is performing tooā¦
Yes! Kylie is performing this week. Iāve spoken to my boss and asked please, please, please can I have a couple of minutes with her. Theyāve said yes so Iām absolutely excited with excitement this week ā youāve got no idea!!
Maybe you could dance to a Kylie number at some point this series?
I think I might be able to pull a Kylie number out somewhere.
Why should people vote Team RiRo at Wembley this weekend?
You watch Lisa and myself dance and you smile. You just smile and thatās what itās all about, seeing someone having a good time. Lisaās great at what she does, sheās improving week-upon-week and sheās what the showās about. If she can go all the way to the end then Iāll be thrilled.
āStrictly Come Dancingā continues tomorrow night at 6.30pm on BBC One. Watch Team RiRoās high-scoring Foxtrot from last weekās show: