Danny Mac has revealed that when he danced the Argentine Tango so splendidly last weekend, he was hiding a family heartache.
Although he managed to crack a smile when he and dance partner Oti Mabuse topped the leader board with 38 points, Danny admits his mind was elsewhere, as he was worried about his father’s health.
But the handsome Hollyoaks actor admitted that training so hard for the show-stopping dance helped him through his dark time worrying about his dad, who had suffered heart problems during the week.
“I threw a lot of focus into that routine, the most we’ve ever had I think,” he told Zoe Ball on It Takes Two.
“It was the most I felt focused and concentrated on the dance because… as people may have seen I had a bit of a tough week that week, personally, so the dance was my escape from that.
“So I threw everything into it. Oti was amazing all week with me.”
He added that being busy and trying to master the moves of the Argentine Tango, helped him keep his mind busy!
“We just got on with the work and the dance for me was really helpful and so I was just so focused and in it, it felt like that’s all I was thinking about because that’s all I could let myself think about.”
When Zoe reminded Danny that he had dedicated the song to his dad on the live show last Saturday, he said: “I just didn’t want to go there with that stuff but I just felt that otherwise if I looked miserable when I was getting those scores everybody would be like what’s wrong with him? What more does he want?”
Meanwhile, Danny has revealed that he and girlfriend Carly Stenson are marrying next summer.
“We’re getting married next year!” he told Loose Women. “There is a date; it’s towards the end of the summer – it’s going to be at home [in the UK] so everyone can be there.”
If you haven’t received you invite yet, then don’t worry. He and Carly haven’t got around to it yet! “We haven’t put all our invites out yet,’ he dutifully informed viewers.
Catch Danny whizzing Oti around the Strictly floor this weekend in Blackpool! We can’t wait!