Strictly Star Plans ‘Double Dates’ with Axed Co-Star

Strictly Come Dancing star Julian Caillon has revealed his plans to go on "double dates" with his fiancée and his dance partner, Balvinder Sopal.

After making history as the most number of dance-offs endured on Strictly, the EastEnders actress was eliminated from Strictly last weekend.

She narrowly missed out on making the final, going up against Amber Davies and partner Nikita Kuzmin, who will now be competing for the glitterball trophy against George Clarke and Alexis Warr, and Karen Carney and Carlos Gu.

During an appearance on It Takes Two tonight (Monday 15 December) with host Fleur East, Balvinder shared her plans to continue dancing with Julian.

"I really want to," she began. "I don't know where to go, Jules can I just come and see you every week and we can just have a dance?"

He replied: "Of course! We actually spoke about it before, we love doing the Argentine Tango, so with Leo and Maria, who are the choreographers, and we spoke about doing a double date with our partners, so I definitely think we'll keep dancing."

Elsewhere during their time on BBC Two tonight, Balvinder and Julian - who is a newcomer to the Strictly professional line-up - reflected on their journey throughout the competition.

When asked what she would tell herself during week one after making it to the final four, Balvinder shared: “I think she’d be doing somersaults, she’d be like, ‘Wow you actually did it, not only did you say yes, but you got to the semi-final and made it to the last four’. Super, super happy, and so proud.”

Recalling his first impressions of his dance partner, Julian added: “When we first met, we then got stuck in a room together for five hours, but we actually, within that time, everything I thought about Bal came true.

“I thought she’d be someone that would have my back, someone with whom I’d have a great relationship, I thought that we would have some really good laughs along the way, and that’s exactly what happened.”

He continued: “I didn’t think we would make it this far and that isn’t about Bal or anything, more so just going into my first season as well.

“I don’t quite know if I really believed in myself to get us there, but then credit to Bal because I have never believed in myself as a dancer, as much as I do now, and that’s thanks to Bal and the confidence she has given me as well.

“And thanks to Strictly as well, the magic of Strictly. I wasn’t sure if dancing was what I was meant to do in this world, but now I that I am and that’s thanks to my experience with this amazing woman.”

Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two airs weeknights at 6.30pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.