Jamie Borthwick has confirmed he will not be taking a break from EastEnders while taking part in Strictly Come Dancing, and will film alongside his training.

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Borthwick isn't the first EastEnders star to take to the glamorous Strictly dance floor, with Bobby Brazier taking part in the series last year, which saw him exit the soap for a small period before making a return earlier this year.

But for the Jay Brown actor, he will be splitting his time - and thankfully, it isn't that far of a commute!

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Borthwick said: "I'm not taking a break. I'm still there, so I'm doing both shows.

"But we're lucky [that] EastEnders [is] literally just over the road. I [don't have] far to go."

Jamie Borthwick wearing a blue blazer and t-shirt, smiling ahead.
Jamie Borthwick. BBC

Elaborating further on how he will split his time between the soap and Strictly, Borthwick has said he was "budgeted" what he'll be missing.

"But I'm used to it all, really," he added. "I've been doing it a long time. So there's nothing that scares me."

All hands will undoubtedly need to be on deck as EastEnders gears up for its 40th anniversary celebrations, as well as its likely explosive Christmas storyline to come later this year.

For Borthwick, some elements of Strictly may be a walk in the park, as he took part in the 2023 Christmas special - and won!

Asked if there were any tricks he remembered from his time on the show last year, Borthwick admitted he has "kind of forgotten everything".

Jamie Borthwick and Nancy Xu dressed in silver and gold stood next to each other
Jamie Borthwick and Nancy Xu. BBC/Guy Levy

"I'm hoping it will be like riding a bike and it'll come back," he told RadioTimes.com and other press.

"But I've kind of forgotten most things. Although loads has happened since then, it doesn't seem that long ago I was here."

For the Christmas special, the celebrities and their pros have two weeks to prepare, so only time will tell how Borthwick fares on the dance floor with just the one week to prepare for each Saturday night.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 14th September 2024.

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Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Authors

Katelyn MensahEntertainment and Factual Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Entertainment and Factual Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

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