The actress admits disbelief at her ability to perform on TV following her recent Strictly Come Dancing departure.
Ellie Taylor has shared her surprise at having performed 10 live routines on television, revealing that she had always believed she could not dance until her time on Strictly Come Dancing. The 38-year-old actress, best known for her role in Ted Lasso, was the ninth celebrity to be eliminated from the popular dance competition on Sunday after a dance-off against singer and DJ Fleur East.
Appearing on Monday’s It Takes Two, Taylor became emotional as she looked back on her Strictly journey. Reflecting on her performances, she expressed amazement at how far she had come. “I’ve told myself all my life that I couldn’t dance, and now I’ve done 10 dances live on television—it’s just incredible,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
Taylor performed a Thelma & Louise-themed jive with her professional partner Johannes Radebe during Saturday’s live show to Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl. Despite their enthusiasm, the judges were not impressed, awarding them a score of 25. After performing the routine again in the results show, the judges chose to save East and her partner Vito Coppola, sending Taylor and Radebe home.
Taylor admitted that while she enjoyed the jive, she found it technically challenging. “I felt all over the place. Maybe it was the nerves or too many steps to remember,” she said. Despite the difficulties, she described the dance-off as an improvement over their initial performance and expressed pride in how they handled the situation.
This marked Taylor’s first time in the bottom two, though she admitted she was often more surprised to stay safe than to be at risk of elimination.
Radebe also praised Taylor’s progress throughout the competition, noting how much faster she had picked up the steps each week and how much more she enjoyed rehearsals. “The best part of this season for me was working with Ellie,” he said.
When asked who she hoped would win the competition, Taylor expressed her support for TV presenter Helen Skelton. “Helen has worked so hard, and she’s really blossomed—I’d love to see her win,” Taylor said, referring to their close friendship.
