After coming runner-up on last year's Strictly Come Dancing, Jamie Laing is the perfect host for new dance-based dating reality show I Like The Way U Move, which sashays onto BBC3 Online this week.
The eight-part series sees Jamie play Cupid - alongside US star Kaelynn 'KK' Harris as resident dance expert and judge - as professional dancers looking for love are matched up with ‘rookies’ based on initial attraction. The couples then have to master a dance routine to compete in a dance-off, where they’ll be judged on romantic chemistry NOT their moves.
Here Jamie, 32, tells us more…
How would you describe this show?
"We have five, very sexy professional dancers who all live in a house together for six weeks. They meet our rookie, non-professional dancers at a social event called The Mixer, where the pros each choose a partner and, together, they must learn a dance routine in 24 hours AND develop a romantic connection. Myself and KK then have to judge these couples on their chemistry and connection on the dance floor and, if we believe it, those couples stay for the next round, if we don’t, they go home. It’s a hybrid between dating and dancing - like a sexy Toyota Prius!"
Why is dance a good vehicle for romance?
"Loyalty and trust are the foundations of any relationship and, similarly with dancing, you must have loyalty and trust straight away. What this show does, is fast forward that period of the relationship where people are learning about each other and they instantly have to have trust and respect for each other. It’s important to remember this is not a dance competition, it's a dating show. It's not so much about whether these people can dance, it's about the chemistry, and many of these couples did genuinely fall in love. It's been incredible to watch this raw romance happen in front of our eyes."
What's the on-screen dynamic like between you and dance expert KK?
"KK has danced since she was 14 years old and performed with the like of Britney Spears, Usher and Missy Elliot. She's used to working up close with people so, straight away, the two of us had this great connection. KK definitely brings the coolness and the swagger and I think, because I'd done reality TV for so long, I was able to draw out of the contestants what they were really feeling.
"We've got some amazing guest judges, too. Strictly Come Dancing's Oti Mabuse and Johannes Radebe and, for the first dance-off, Maisie Smith; all incredible people who know everything about dancing, and who are aware of the emotional side of it as well."
Did it get emotional having to let go of couples who danced brilliantly but who had no romantic chemistry?
"Oh, it got very emotional at times. There was one particular couple who gave this incredible performance but their chemistry just didn’t work for us, it just wasn’t there, so we had to send them home. That was tough, really tough. KK cried, they cried, everyone cried! Conversely, as soon as I saw one couple, from the first moment they looked at each other, I said they’re gonna win, and they did!"
The first dance-off explores dating firsts… first holiday romance… first kiss… do you remember your first kiss?
"Yes! I was on a boat in Turkey, the girl's name was Tash. She was two years older than me and I thought I was the coolest person in the world but my kissing technique was honestly like a washing machine! It was a great experience for me… but I’m not sure she thought so."
You’re well qualified to host this show after getting to the final of last year’s 'Strictly Come Dancing'. How has the show changed your life?
"Strictly made me understand that cheesy cliche that if you really put your mind to something you can achieve whatever you want, it just takes time and hard work. So it’s changed my life in that way and it’s also changed my life in the sense that, before Strictly, everyone probably just saw me as a 'Made in Chelsea plonker'. But then they watched Strictly and said: 'Ah, he’s an alright guy.' That was kind of nice."
All episodes of I Like The Way U Move are available on BBC3 Online from Sunday, October 17, and will air weekly on BBC1 from Tuesday, October 19 at 10.35pm.
