Jamie Laing reckons Karen Hauer still hasn’t forgiven him for dropping her on Strictly Come Dancing: ‘That was awful’

The reality TV star is being honest in his new autobiography (Picture: Metro.co.uk/ David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing, 33, on his pre-Strictly dance moves, finally being his own editor and realising he’s not a plonker any more.

What part of the world are you in today?

I’ve literally just come away from my office and I’m now back home and looking out of my window talking to you while drinking a Fanta Zero. It’s a delight.

What can you see from your window?

I can see someone walking into their house and I can see two people having sex… I’m kidding. I’m looking on to the Notting Hill area, which is lovely.

How would you describe your latest TV series, I Like The Way U Move?

It is so exciting. We shot it in Henley. It’s a dating/dancing hybrid. It’s Love Actually-meets-Strictly Come Dancing.

We get five sexy dancers who move into a house together and they partner up with our rookies and they teach them to dance and then they date and fall in love, hopefully. It’s fun and different and wild.

Jamie and his girlfriend Sophie Habboo, who he claims he didn’t meet because of his dancing skills (Picture: Rex)

Has dancing helped you find partners? Did you and your girlfriend, Sophie Habboo, meet on the dance floor?

No, not at all. Honestly, before Strictly, I thought shuffling from one foot to the other was a good way of dancing.

Dancing is a complete art. Anyone who thinks they can dance, you probably can’t dance. Dancers are incredible.

Has Karen Hauer forgiven you for dropping her on Strictly?

Oh my gosh, I don’t think she has. That was awful. Do not drop a dancer. That’s what I worked out. Never drop a dancer.

How did it feel winning the National Television Award for Strictly?

Amazing, quite embarrassing at the same time. I was still thinking as I took to the stage, ‘Is my fly open? Is my shirt in the right place?’

I looked a bit of a plonker standing behind dancer Janette [Manrara]. ‘I was the one who did Hercules! That was me!’

Jamie with Janette Manrara after Strictly won an NTA in September (Picture: Jamie Laing/Instagram)

Was it a more comfortable experience than when Made In Chelsea won the Bafta?

That was the funny one. We won the Bafta [in 2013] and I got on stage and I looked out at every one. I saw Olivia Colman and other people in the audience and I thought, ‘They must think we are complete w*****s.’

All these incredible actors and people who have grafted their entire lives. We had just won one for being ourselves on a reality show. I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is not good.’

What have you learned about yourself from writing your autobiography, I Can Explain?

Well, it’s not really an autobiography. I was asked to write a book and what I wanted to write was something that would help people but also make them laugh.

What I thought was that typically men don’t talk about our struggles and anxieties. I also wanted not to be edited because I’ve been edited for so many years in Made In Chelsea.

This was the time to edit myself. What I realised was that wow, I was a plonker when I was younger and now I realised that I’m actually quite kind, I think.

Jamie starred on Strictly alongside Karen Hauer last year – and he doesn’t think she’s forgiven him for dropping her during training (Credits: PA)

Your mum said about your book, ‘Who the f*** is going to want to read that?’ What’s her verdict now?

That is exactly what she said. Now she’s read it she sent me a message saying, ‘It’s honest, it’s lovely, I really enjoyed it and I’m very proud of you’. So that’s very sweet.

You mention ‘that naked photo’ in your book. For those who have not seen it which one is that?

I think being naked is a wonderful thing. For that photo I was with an ex-girlfriend of mine so it was a very intimate photo of just me. [He was holding his erect penis – the photo leaked and went viral]. It was very embarrassing at the time. My mum and everyone saw it so that wasn’t good.

Where is the most unusual place you have been naked?

There was a very big trough at a party when I was younger and I went swimming in the trough naked. When I was at Leeds University I streaked across the pitch in a match.

Are there any other famous people you get mistaken for?

Oh god, yes – Woody Harrelson, Judge Rinder, Gordon Ramsay occasionally.

Jamie often gets mistaken for fellow Strictly contestant Robert Rinder (Picture: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

You set a rumour straight in the book that your family don’t have stakes in McVitie’s. Any other rumours that you can dispel?

I don’t think so but yes the rumour that I am a McVitie’s billionaire is unfortunately not true. I don’t even eat biscuits.

What do you have with your cuppa?

I have it with no sugar, just oat milk, bish, bash, bosh. Love it. Every morning.

Paul Hollywood gave you the accolade of ‘worst ever cake’ seen on Bake Off. Have you baked anything since?

Nope. Nothing. My girlfriend asked me to help her bake a banana cake during lockdown and I was like, ‘Hell no, Paul Hollywood has made me hate baking.’ I refuse to bake.

BBC Three’s I Like The Way U Move is streaming on BBC iPlayer

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