Ian ‘H’ Watkins: La Voix would have gone ‘a lot further’ in Strictly

Singer Ian “H” Watkins from Steps has said drag artist La Voix would have gone “a lot further” in Strictly Come Dancing had they not had to pull out of the show due to injury.

The former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star, whose real name is Christopher Dennis, was forced to withdraw from the BBC dancing programme ahead of it being broadcast from Blackpool on Saturday.

Watkins, whose pop band Steps performed on the show, told ITV’s Good Morning Breakfast (GMB) that La Voix’s exit had come as a shock to him.

Watkins said: “I had a massive hug with La Voix just before we rehearsed and she said nothing to me. I think she knew obviously at that point that it was going to go in a different direction, but she couldn’t say it out loud.

“I love La Voix and she was going to go a lot further.”

Watkins, 49, also told Monday’s programme that he had no idea that head judge Shirley Ballas had to be saved from choking by her team over the weekend as she had a fishbone stuck in her throat.

“This was news to me,” Watkins said. “So, we had a little jig in our medley, and there was nothing wrong at that point.

“I’m glad she’s fine because I love Shirley, she’s gorgeous. But I knew nothing about this.”

Watkins added: “I love Strictly. Especially Blackpool as well. They throw all the bells and whistles at it. And to open a show nearly 30 years on in our career, it’s amazing. It kind of blows my mind that we still do this.”

The pop singer-turned artist also told the breakfast show how he was “pinching himself” that he will have his first solo exhibition next month.

La Voix has said Strictly Come Dancing was “the most extraordinary experience” of their life after leaving the competition.

The 45-year-old was forced to withdraw totally from the BBC dancing programme on Saturday, after they had initially been given a pass to the next round of the competition after the injury was announced last week.

As a result, there was no dance-off on the results show and no elimination, with votes and scores set to be carried over to next week.

Speaking on Sunday’s results show, La Voix told presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly: “This has been the most extraordinary experience of my entire life, it really has.

“What have I loved the most? Don’t hate me, but it’s not been the dancing, it’s been, just being welcomed on this show with the most amazing warmth from everyone, from the whole crew backstage, the judges to the pros, to the celebrities, to you two, to everyone, it’s been amazing.”

La Voix is the second contestant to pull out of this year’s competition because of injury, after Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis pulled out of Strictly with an injury to his calf in October.

Soap star Lewis Cope and his dance partner Katya Jones topped Saturday’s leaderboard with a perfect score of 40 for their Charleston to Arctic Monkeys’ I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.

Strictly Come Dancing returns on BBC One and BBC iPlayer next Saturday at 6.35pm.