Strictly Come Dancing professional Neil Jones has said he can no longer keep up with his “young” fellow dancers at 39.
The dancer explained how he now has to hit the gym five days a week on top of training with partner Nadia Wadia to maintain his impressive physique.
Speaking to The Mirror, he said: “All the other guys, like Gorka and Giovanni, they’re all young. Even while we’re doing the show and training, I still go to the gym in the morning.
“The thing is, what happens is, we get lean during the show, we lose so much weight because we’re dancing so much.
“So it’s essential at the moment that I’ve been trying to overload, I’ve been trying to work out more; that way, as I lose weight, I’m not losing muscle as well.”
Neil says he wants to be more like Anton Du Beke, who recently became the newest judge on the panel, as he wants to become the “statesman of Strictly.”
Neil continues: “I’m now the oldest of the male pros. I’ve stepped into Anton’s shoes now he’s gone to the judges. So I’m turning 40 next year, and I just wanted to try and get myself in better condition. So I’ve got to be taking care of myself a lot more.
He added that he’s been doing a lot more wakeboarding and wake surfing to stay active.
Dancing on the show has proved to be an intense form of exercise, with former EastEnders star Nadia already dropping two dress sizes.
“I guess being possibly the most unprepared person in the world, this is a wake-up call to my body,” she previously said.
“My back is all taped up, and my hip flexors are sore; I’ve got plasters all over my feet. Neil makes me wear the heels for training, and when I take them off at the end of the day, my feet are so swollen I can’t get them back in my sneakers. I’m a bit of a mess, to be honest.”
Neil and Nina will be tangoing to the Eurythmics’ Would I Lie to You? on Saturday night.
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