Entertainment
Who is Strictly’s Dr Punam Krishan? NHS GP’s journey to BBC star-Asyia Iftikhar-Entertainment – Metro
She is known for giving the nation healthcare advice.
Dr Punam Krishan has watched Strictly for the past 20 years (Picture: BBC)
As BBC’s hit reality competition series Strictly Come Dancing gets underway, Dr Punam Krishan is boogying all the way from the doctor’s office to the dance floor.
The upcoming season arrives after months of controversy surrounding the long-running series involving allegations against the behaviour of former professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima.
The new episodes will feature celebrity contestants including comedian Chris McCausland, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and Olympian Tom Dean as they all compete to lift the Glitterball Trophy.
Dr Punam will join this number opposite her pro-partner. Judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel-Horwood and Anton Du Beke will all return as well as long time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
She announced her participation in the series – which will be marking its twentieth anniversary – on August 6 by phoning into Vernon Kay’s show on Radio 2.
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‘This still doesn’t feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year’s show. I have watched Strictly every year with my family, and it feels extra special that it’s the 20th year. I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now.
Dr Punam Krishan is waving goodbye to the stethoscope and hello to glam outfits (Picture: BBC/Kieron McCarron)
‘This is so out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the journey and will give it my absolute all,’ she said in a statement at the time.
Who is Dr Punam Krishan and who is she married to?
Dr Punam is a practicing NHS GP from born and raised in Scotland who also teaches at the University of Glasgow – where she originally studied medicine.
Alongside her day job she is also known for appearing on BBC Morning Live as well as doing BBC Radio Scotland’s phone-in surgery.
During her time as a TV and radio commentator, the 41-year-old medical doctor has advised on everything from nail healthcare to heart palpitations to the correct way to check your breasts and pecs.
She has appeared across the media to dish out healthcare advice (Picture: BBC)
And is a regular on BBC Morning Live (Picture: BBC)
She is married to Conservative MSP Dr Sandesh Gulhane (Picture: Campbell Ramage)
She reports on health news across TV, radio and newspapers
In 2022, the broadcaster also released her book, How To Be A Doctor and Other Life-Savig Jobs.
Dr Punam is married to Scottish Conservative MP and Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane who has been the MSP for Glasgow since 2021. They share two children, a son Aarish, 11, and a daughter Ellora, four.
What has Dr Punam Krishan said about joining Strictly 2024?
Dr Punam has reiterated that she will ‘absolutely not’ be leaving her job in the NHS to join the show in an Instagram post following the news.
She added: ‘It will be a challenge to balance it but I’m so lucky to be supported by the most fantastic team and, as my practice manager put it, “we will make it work!” I love my job.
‘My patients and my duty of care towards them will always come first.
‘However, I’m also someone who has passions, dreams, and aspirations outside of my day job.’
Dr Punam with her two children (Picture: Instagram)
She has sought advice from former contestants on juggling the show as a mum (Picture: BBC)
Elsewhere, discussing her approach to this year’s competition, she admitted to host Vernon that it is very different to the style of dancing she is used to as someone with Indian heritage.
‘As somebody who was raised on bhangra, doing ceilidhs, the odd bit of hip-hop back in the day… Waltz, cha cha cha and the rest of it is a whole new learning curve,’ she said at the time.
She also spoke about seeking advice from her famous friends who have also appeared on the show.
‘The Morning Live gang don’t know until now but I’m so blessed and Kimberley Walsh, Helen Skelton and Kym Marsh have all done it and there working mums and I want to know how they did it and how they showed up and sparkled with everything else,’ she said at the time.
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