Ellie Simmonds has admitted her fear of trolling as she made her Strictly Come Dancing debut on Saturday night (September 24).
Her routine with dance partner Nikita Kuzmin received a standing ovation and brilliant comments from the judges.
However, Ellie has already been targeted by cruel trolls, just a week into the show.
Strictly star Ellie Simmonds stunned the judges
On Saturday night, Ellie and Nikita wowed the audience and the judges with a cha cha cha to Dance by DNCE.
The athlete looked gorgeous in a gold glittery dress with a pair of gold high heels – the first time she’s ever worn a pair.
After their routine, judge Shirley Ballas said that her “timing was beautiful”.
Anton Du Beck expressed: “I thought it was a great performance, well done.”
After the dance, Ellie admitted: “I was so nervous. It was so tough, but I want to do it again.”
This was also Ellie’s first time wearing high heels.
She got used to them by wearing them around her house to break them in.
Ellie said: “This morning, I was wearing them while brushing my teeth. I never normally do that.”
Ellie’s fears around joining Strictly
Before joining the show, Ellie had concerns about trolling, her partner and her ability to dance.
Some people have said: ‘How’s the dwarf going to dance?’It’s sad, and it does get to you.
She had admitted previously that she was worried about the height difference between herself and her partner and how it would affect their dancing.
Ellie was also aware that she may be trolled while on the show.
She confessed: “I’ve had it already. Some people have said: ‘How’s the dwarf going to dance?’ It’s sad, and it does get to you.”
However, an accessibility tour of the Strictly studios helped to change her mind.
The 27-year-old stated: “When I got the call, I did wonder whether I should do it.
“Then I thought I’d do a leap of faith. You don’t know until you try.”
She admitted that her boyfriend Matt, who also has dwarfism, played a huge role in convincing her to be on the show.
The pair have been together for two years and recently bought a house.
She said: “He was like: ‘Go for it. You won’t know unless you try.’ Now I’m so happy I said yes.”
Her parents also encouraged her from a young age to never let her dwarfism stop her from achieving her dreams.
Ellie declared: “They said if I wanted to achieve something, I shouldn’t let it stop me.”
Excited to represent
Following in the footsteps of last year’s winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, Ellie is determined to inspire young people with disabilities to believe in themselves.
Paralympic champ Ellie is the seventh disabled contestant in the history of Strictly Come Dancing.
Ellie stated that it was an honour “to represent not just dwarfism but disability in general”.
She also expressed: “If only I had this as a child, watching someone with dwarfism on a dancing show…
“It’s amazing for disability representation and moving forward.”
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