Exclusive:
Rumours of behind-the-scenes drama on the Strictly Come Dancing tour have been swirling, but JB Gill – who is on the tour following his stint on the BBC show, has now spoken out
Strictly’s JB Gill responds to ‘bad blood’ rumours backstage on tour
JB Gill, who competed in Strictly Come Dancing, has spoken out about rumours of backstage tension during the show’s tour.
Addressing speculation of “bad blood” among the cast, the JLS star set the record straight, insisting that his experience was nothing but positive. The Strictly tour faced multiple setbacks as several stars had to withdraw. Wynne Evans was axed from the lineup, while Vito Coppola was forced to step down due to ongoing issues with a previous injury. Pete Wicks and Chris McCausland also pulled out, sparking speculation about behind-the-scenes drama.
In an exclusive interview with The Mirror, JB reflected on the Strictly tour and the dynamic among the contestants. “The Strictly tour, of course, is a much smaller number of contestants. I think it was seven in total we had. And it was great. It was nice,” he shared.
He acknowledged that not everyone from the show’s final lineup was able to take part in the tour. “Of course, we didn’t have Chris because he wasn’t able to come and be part of the show. He was on tour already and, um, I think Pete had some podcast commitments that he wasn’t able to get out of. So we didn’t have those two in from the final show seven,” JB explained.
Despite this, he emphasised that the atmosphere remained supportive and friendly among those who took part. “Everybody that I personally had experience with and spent time with were amazing and it was great to be a part of a cast that, you know, got on well.” Shutting down any claims of tension or disputes behind the scenes, JB insisted: “There was never any sort of bad vibes or bad blood or bickering or anything backstage. It was always positive, always up. Everybody’s supporting each other.”
Drawing from his own experience as a performer, JB highlighted the importance of a good backstage atmosphere. “I’ve been on tours before, and I’ve toured with the boys, JLS, and we’ve always tried to adhere to a very good and positive backstage vibe. You know, I think it makes a massive difference when you’re on tour traveling with people every single day. If it’s not a great atmosphere backstage, that can sometimes leak onto the stage.”
For JB, the experience was overwhelmingly positive. “So, yeah, for me personally, it was imperative, really, that we had a good vibe backstage and, you know, the whole process was positive from my perspective and everybody got on. Everyone was supporting each other and it was so nice to be a part of.”
Beyond Strictly, JB has been busy with new projects, including his latest children’s show. Cooking with the Gills, airing on Channel 5’s Milkshake!, is a family affair featuring his two children, six-year-old Kiara and ten-year-old Ace. “They pretty much lead it,” JB shared proudly. “I’m very, very proud of them and being able to work alongside them. Seeing them shine has been humbling and amazing. It’s an incredible experience for the family, and hopefully, they’ll take that forward into adulthood at the right time.”
JB has also ventured into publishing and recently released his second children’s book, Animal Hero: The Wacky Weather Mystery. The book, which came out on February 27, has already received a warm response. “Seeing all the messages and people dressing up as characters from the book fills my heart,” he said. His daughter even chose to dress up as Bear, one of the characters, for World Book Day. “It’s incredibly humbling, and it’s something I never imagined while I was writing it. To have this as part of the things I’ve achieved in life is really special.”
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