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Strictly 2021: Dan Walker confirms he’ll keep voting for Rose Ayling-Ellis as he teases routine inspired by Bill Bailey

Dan Walker revealed the sweet reason he’ll always vote for Rose Ayling Ellis (Picture: Splash/BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing’s Dan Walker previously revealed he voted for Rose Ayling-Ellis and said he will continue to do so as he prepares for his Street dance routine.

Dan is partnered with Nadiya Bychkova this year and the pair will be performing the latter’s first-ever couple’s choice routine on the competition to Classic by MKTO on Saturday night.

But whilst Dan is continuing to make fantastic progress, he’s backing his competitor Rose to win after revealing he’d cast a vote for her earlier this series.

Speaking exclusively to Metro.co.uk, Dan told us he would continue to vote for the EastEnders star as she ‘lives her best life’ and he also noted what she’s done for the Deaf community is ‘staggering.’

He said: ‘We spoke to Ed Sheeran on [BBC] Breakfast about [the routine to] Shivers last week and he’s backing Rose to win.

‘I just think she’s a lovely person, she’s obviously a great dancer and Giovanni is doing a brilliant job with that.

Dan Walker will be dancing a couple’s choice dance this evening (Picture: BBC)

Rose and Giovanni scored 40 points last weekend (Picture: Kieron McCarron/BBC/PA)

‘I think also, for representation and the way she is able to do what she does when she can’t hear the music is just staggering.’

The BBC Breakfast host had some awareness already himself, sharing his dad is also Deaf:  ‘I know how hard it is for him to not just move to the music but to actually hear in the first place, so I know what she’s doing is amazing.

‘I love watching them dance and she’s really funny and lovely, I spoke to her brother last week and her whole family are so proud. She [Rose] has worked her backside off to get to where she is working jobs as a seamstress, sewing sequins, gluing sequins on just a few years ago.

Dan Walker performing on Halloween week last weekend (Picture: BBC/PA)

‘To get to where she is to do EastEnders, to come here and be on Strictly and now she’s living her best life and looking amazing every Saturday night, so I will continue to vote for her!’

Dan will be performing their Street Commercial routine this evening, and he got the idea when watching champion Bill Bailey return to dance with Oti Mabuse once more.

He said: ‘Weirdly, when we watched on the first show in the studio, remember we sat on the little tables and Bill and Oti did their couple’s choice, to Rappers Delight and I nudged Nadiya as I do during the programme, and I said oh that’s quite nice I would say would it be cool to do something like that? And you said…’

Turning to Nadiya, she joked: ‘Yeah, well, it’s usually later in the competition. So, I was like, well, let’s see what happens!’

But confident he could make it a reality, Dan played the song he’ll be dancing to the first Monday of training and couldn’t wait to perform the routine.

The pair have been getting on incredibly well and haven’t argued once, with Dan adding: ‘I’ll be turning pro in January! She’s [Nadiya’s] brilliant.

More: Strictly Come Dancing

‘There’s never been a single argument, she’s never walked out the studio once, she’s not shouted at me. So we’re just going on very nicely!’

But will they have what it takes to make it through to another week of Strictly action?

Strictly Come Dancing airs tonight at 6.45pm on BBC One.

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