00:00It fills me with absolute excitement and dread.
00:17Starter of stage and screen, Alex Kingston.
00:22Hollywood Ripple.
00:28My name's Alex Kingston.
00:30And you may know me from ER or Doctor Who.
00:34Hello, sweetie.
00:35And in various theatre projects.
00:37I'm your drama queen.
00:40I think I've got rhythm.
00:42I like to dance in the kitchen.
00:44And I actually dance when I'm ironing.
00:47That's about it, really.
00:51I love pottering in the garden.
00:53I'm also a beekeeper. I love it.
00:56I really don't want to be dressed in a giant bee outfit for Strictly.
00:59I really, really don't.
01:02I'm actually quite a shy person.
01:04And I think the only way I'm going to get through Strictly 2025
01:08is by creating a different character every week for each dance.
01:13And with the support of my family and my dog, who will be sitting in front of the television watching me wearing a tuxedo, he is 100% my number one fan.
01:26You have no idea.
01:29I'm so terrified right now.
01:30It's just pure terror.
01:36Alex, we are about to see you being paired up.
01:39Yes.
01:40How was the wait to find out your partner?
01:43Oh, I was so, so nervous.
01:46There was somebody I knew that I did want, but I had convinced myself that he didn't want me.
01:53So, actually, yes, it was a big reveal that I wasn't expecting.
02:01And talk to me about the fake tan.
02:04I went in with Danny, actually.
02:06We went in together, didn't we?
02:08But we were in two little separate booths with shower caps on, but we could see each other.
02:15And it was like an express tan.
02:17And so I thought after a full day's rehearsal yesterday, I thought then I could go home,
02:23spend like two hours waiting for the tan to develop.
02:27But they said, no, you can't.
02:29You have to sleep in it overnight.
02:31And we had sweated so badly all through the day.
02:35And then we had the tan on.
02:37And then we couldn't wash.
02:38OK?
02:39No.
02:40But then the sheets were conch.
02:43Oh, right.
02:46Alex, you are a keeper.
02:49Karen, can I just...
