Dressed in her sequinned finest and looking like a million dollars, “little pudding” is the last phrase that springs to mind when you see this season’s Strictly star Vicky Pattison. But that’s certainly how Vicky feels not long after “Big Dance Day,” when all the Strictly celebrities and professionals get together for the first time.

“You’re with the tiny professional female dancers carved by angels — they’re the most beautiful creatures — and you’re standing there like a little pudding in your gym kit. And that’s before you start dancing and realise how inept you are. I was in a state of shock,” is how former I’m A Celebrity queen Vicky, 37, puts it.

Vicky only has herself to blame either way, because she “manifested” taking part in the show. Two years ago, Vicky reveals, she created a vision board on which, amid the pictures of “wedding dresses, engagement rings, puppies and houses,” was a picture of ex-Hollyoaks actress and 2017 Strictly star Gemma Atkinson in sequins — with Vicky’s head stuck on top.

“I feel like a proper creep,” she laughs. “But I love a bit of manifestation.”

This year’s other contestants include Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, aka Gladiator Nitro; actors Alex Kingston, Stefan Dennis, Lewis Cope, and Balvinder Sopal; former footballers Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Karen Carney; drag artist La Voix; former rugby player Chris Robshaw; model Ellie Goldstein, who has Down’s syndrome; and TV personalities Thomas Skinner and Ross King.

Vicky’s Love Island winner pal Dani Dyer had also been set to take to the dancefloor, but she was forced to bow out on Tuesday after fracturing her ankle during a training session.

Although Vicky has a background in reality TV, she says she has “mixed feelings” about her time as one of the louder stars of the Newcastle-set MTV series *Geordie Shore*, in which she starred from 2011 to 2014.

“I’m grateful, but even at the time I didn’t always love it. I was always overthinking it, and at times I felt controlled and uncomfortable, and I coped by drinking more than I should. I was a kid really, and had a lot of growing up to do.”

Little wonder that Vicky has made a determined effort to branch out in recent years. While she entered the celebrity jungle in 2015 — emerging as queen — she has lately focused her energies on her podcast *Get A Grip* and documentaries, although she accepts that for some she will always be “just” a reality TV star.

“Some people are committed to the idea of who you were 15 years ago,” she says.

There are no worries about the so-called Strictly curse, in which happily married celebrity contestants fall for their professional partners. Paired with pro dancer Kai Widdrington, Vicky is blunt when asked if she worries she might get the hots for her partner.

“Have you seen my husband?” she says of businessman Ercan Ramadan, the clothing firm owner she married a year ago. “No offence to the dancers, they’re lovely lads, but he’s gorgeous and wonderful in every way.”

Not least because Vicky had a bumpy path to her happy ever after: following a number of short-lived relationships in her twenties, she was engaged to Newcastle businessman John Noble — only for that relationship to break down in 2018 amid rumours of his infidelity.

“I thought that was my happily ever after, and in some ways I felt I failed,” she says.

Fast forward a few months, and a semi-reluctant Vicky went on a date with Ercan after he messaged her on Instagram.

“I remember crying just before I was due to go,” she says. “But then boom. He went to the toilet, and I texted all my friends and said, ‘Buy a hat!'”

They moved in together eight months later, though they only finally married last year. By then, Vicky had frozen her eggs, a decision she says they made together early on in their relationship.

“I believed our relationship deserved a chance to develop naturally before the biological clock took over,” she says.

When she’ll make the leap to motherhood is up in the air, but it’s definitely off the agenda during Strictly.

“I think that’s enough of a challenge for now,” she says.

Vicky faces other challenges too. Two years ago, after years of battling horrendous symptoms that were continually ignored by professionals, she was diagnosed with PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), a debilitating condition that affects women of childbearing age.

Her experience has been so devastating that after going public she has become a campaigner for an end to what she calls “medical misogyny,” and recently wrote to Health Secretary Wes Streeting asking for a meeting to discuss the issue.

“He’s replied, and I’m due to meet him next month,” she reveals.

It’s clear how much what’s happened to her has taken its toll: her eyes fill with tears as she recalls her years-long struggle with symptoms.

“At its worst you totally lose yourself. I’m quite an outgoing, confident, happy woman, but that gets completely replaced with despair. You get heightened anxiety, exhaustion, insomnia, catastrophising, fear of everything. Nothing brings you joy.”

She pauses. “I’m actually going through it now.”

Could that mar her Strictly journey too?

“I don’t know,” she says. “I can’t control it. I was actually going through PMDD for both my weddings. But at the end of the day, joy won. And I hope it will again.”

In the meantime, her focus is on the practical stuff. She’s had advice from her podcast co-host and Strictly 2023 contestant Angela Scanlon, who urged her to start bathing her feet in surgical spirit, as well as “best pal” and Strictly 2024 alumnus Pete Wicks, who will be in the audience at some point.

“He was living on his nerves the entire time and as we have very similar personalities I’m trying to prepare myself for that,” she laughs.

Of course, nothing can really prepare you for that first moment of emerging onto the Strictly dance floor in front of a live audience.

*Strictly Come Dancing* returns tonight, 6.40pm, BBC1 and iPlayer.
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