BBC Strictly's Sam Quek risks another 'fix' row after previous dance lessons with former pros emerge
Sam Quek teased she had previous dance lessons
PA/BBC
Sam Quek could be set to spark yet another "fix" row amongst Strictly Come Dancing fans as it emerged she previously hinted she had dance lessons from former professional Ola Jordan.
The 35-year-old was announced to be taking part last week and said of her excitement: "I am just so relieved that it is out there now. I told my husband, my mum and dad and something this big, this exciting you want to tell everyone.
"I can't not be competitive, with hockey I knew I had the ability, what I was looking forward to and what I needed to do but with Strictly, I can dance on a dancefloor with the girls on a night out but that's as far as my dance experience goes, but I am 100 per cent going to be committed.
"I am going to throw myself into it, the glam, the moves, and yeah hopefully try to do quite well."
As training kicks off, it seems that Quek may already have the upper hand after previously hinting she had been given lessons from Jordan during their time together in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2016.
Coming out of the jungle, Quek sat down with HELLO! to discuss her time on the show and said that she and her husband Tom Mairs were going to do dance classes after being inspired by Jordan, Wayne Bridge and Frankie Bridge.
Sam Quek was the last person to be announced as joining Strictly Come Dancing PA
She said: "I got to know Ola and James over in Australia so they gave us the dancing bug, and Wayne Bridge and Frankie knew how to dance. It's a good thing for us to get out and get more active rather than socialising on the sofa, so we're going to start taking classes on the corner."
This isn't the first time that this year's line-up has been slammed and accused of being fixed after many pointed out that Love Island's Tasha Ghouri is already a trained dancer.
On her signing to Strictly, an excited Ghouri stated: "Pinch me, I can't believe I'm going to be on Strictly Come Dancing! I've been watching the show since I was little – it's a firm Ghouri family favourite - so this is a total dream come true.
"I know it's going to be an unforgettable experience and I hope to represent and make everyone proud out on that dancefloor."
Sam Quek claimed she had dance lessons from Ola Jordan during their I'm A Celeb stint
ITV
Some fans thought it was an "unfair advantage", as one Instagram user commented on the BBC announcement post: "Isn’t she a professional dancer in her own right?"
"She's a trained dancer. It's her actual job," another fumed before someone else added: "Love her but a professional dancer?"
"When it started 20 years ago, it was so loved because of the transformation the celebs go through. Unfortunately, when celebs start with a level of dance experience, the essence of the whole show is lost," another remarked.
Someone shared in Ghouri's defence: "Ballroom dancing and dancing like commercial, street etc are totally different and taught totally different. all she’ll have is rhythm and probably just understanding learning a routine. other than that she’s starting from the start like everyone else." (sic)
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Tasha Ghouri also sparked a fix row as she is a professional trained commercial dancer
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Ghouri herself defended the show's choice to sign her up, and said on Kiss FM: "I've not danced for quite a few years - since Love Island, my career is so different. It's such a different dance style, I may actually not be good at it, like ballet - I'm not good at ballet.
"I'm trained in commercial street style. It's going to be very hard but I'm excited for a challenge."