Kimberley: Cheryl gave me 'no choice' on Strictly

Kimberley: Cheryl gave me 'no choice' on Strictly
Kimberley: Cheryl gave me 'no choice' on Strictly (Image credit: PA)

Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh said she had to sign up to this year's Strictly Come Dancing after Cheryl Cole gave her 'no choice'. The singer said she talked it over with all the other four members of the girl band and she expects to see them all in the studio cheering her on. She said: "I asked them before I signed up to it and Cheryl basically told me I had to do it. She gave me no choice. "They're really excited about it, they're really happy that I'm doing it. For them it's going to be great because they can just chill out and watch. "They are really supportive of the decision so they'll be no doubt coming down to cheer me on." Kimberley is joined in the new series by Olympians Victoria Pendleton and Louis Smith, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan and Westlife's Nicky Byrne. Other contestants include model Jerry Hall, former wife of Sir Mick Jagger, and actor Sid Owen - best known for his years as Ricky Butcher in EastEnders. Former This Morning presenter Fern Britton, who took part in a Strictly Christmas special, is also among the hopefuls, along with James Bond actor Colin Salmon. Their professional partners will be revealed at a recording of the launch show on Wednesday night, with the programme broadcast on Saturday at 6.30pm. Sir Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly return as the hosts of this year's contest, with Darcey Bussell a new addition to the judging panel, joining regulars Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Len Goodman.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.