STRICTLY star Dr Punam Krishan will achieve a historic first when she performs on the hit dance show this Saturday.
The East End GP and her partner Gorka Marquez will be the first contestants to do a Bollywood routine in the 20 years since the series began.
Punam hinted at the exciting news on Sunday’s results show, by teasing host Claudia Winkleman she was preparing to do something that had "never been done before on Strictly".
Today, she confirmed in her social media posts she would be dancing to Bole Chudiyan from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham as a couple’s choice dance in this Saturday’s movie week episode.
“The news is out, Gorka and I have the absolute honour of bringing Bollywood to the Strictly dancefloor,” she revealed in a video on Instagram and Facebook.
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“Words cannot express how special that feels. I know that my family is going to be really, really proud. I hope to do it justice. Gorka is embracing Bollywood and it’s going to be magical.”
In another post, she said messages to her social media accounts had “exploded” and added: “Representation matters and this feels huge. I can feel the joy. Thank you for all the love and support.”
Punam also posed with armfuls of colourful bangles and said: “We’re just in training but I’m about to put on all the Indian bangles. We’ve got hundreds of them here because they are part of the dance. This is so exciting, I literally get to bring Indian bling to the dance floor."
In 2014, Bollywood featured in a pro-dancer routine, supported by dance troupe Bolly Flex, as part of Strictly’s Around the World Week.
Punam, who is BBC Morning Live’s health expert, survived the first results show, although she and Gorka were left until the last minute to find out whether they were in the dance-off.
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After a successful cha-cha in week one, they scored 18 for their week two foxtrot to Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood said he “loved the sass" of the dance and felt Punam "nailed the characterisation", but added she needed to work on her posture.
After the show Gorka posted pictures of the couple in the ballroom and said “WOW… that was intense for week two. I can still hear @drpunamkrishan telling me, 'Does that mean that we’re through' with the most shaken voice…YES!!! We are through to next week and all of that is because of you guys. THANK YOU for voting and supporting us.”
He added: "Grateful for another week of dance, working hard and enjoying this journey with @drpunamkrishan. Movie week here we come.”
Swimmer Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova were the first couple to be voted off.
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