As I get ready for the Strictly final I’ve been thinking back on my time as a hairstylist on the show…
An extra special first live show
My first live show was at the Blackpool special - what a way to start! Not a lot of people know this but my Mum used to send me and my sister to ballroom lessons and it was one of her dreams to see us dance in The Blackpool Tower Ballroom. It felt extra special being there and actually being a part of Strictly!
My favourite hairstyle
My favourite ‘dooo’ was probably the year after I started and was for the launch show. The premise of the show was ‘Planet Strictly’ and all the pros were aboard the Strictly Come Dancing spaceship on route to the show.
It's always fun to do avant garde looks and get creative. I’ve always thought of hair in terms of texture and approached it more like fabric really, thinking about how it can be changed and transformed depending on products and styling techniques.
Being part of the Strictly family
I love being part of a great team and have learnt so much working with the best in the business: Lisa, Anna, Tracey, George, Luca, Ayse, Charlie the list goes on….
In fact, I’d usually be super excited for the best wrap party in TV history but this year it’s been cancelled thanks to the stupid bloody virus.
Fun fact: The Blackpool party normally gives the wrap party a run for its money too :-)
Reflecting back on 2020
This year has been different obviously as we pre-recorded all of the group dances and so we had less to actually do on the show days. We’re all normally in a big hair and makeup room together, and the buzz of live TV when we are all at it on a tight turn around is magical.
This teaser hasn’t felt like that as the couples were in bubbles and everyone’s socially distancing, which has taken some of that buzz away but that being said, I think it's amazing how they’ve managed to put the show on with the restrictions and still keep everyone safe.
It’s brilliant that they’ve been able to still go ahead, it’s provided some much needed escapism for viewers, quite a few of my salon clients have said how they don’t know what they’ll do when it's over!
Staying positive throughout it all
It has been quite a different year all round really hasn’t it? This year hasn’t turned out like any of us expected; mine and many others’ weddings have been cancelled or postponed, travel plans have been put on hold and we haven’t seen friends and family as much as we’d have liked.
But whilst it has been an extremely difficult, and at times stressful, year marred with tragedy, I feel grateful that throughout it all I’ve managed to find some positivity. I’ve developed a new perspective that as humans we’re actually extremely adaptive and can get through anything - sometimes it just means doing things on Zoom! I’m grateful that I’ve still been able to work in the salon (albeit not as much as I’d have liked!), and despite everything I’ve been able to launch Crystal Earth with my friends Soo & John and my cousin Greg, which is a dream come true!
Tomorrow’s Strictly final will be the cherry on the cake. I’ll try and post some photos from backstage, so keep your eyes peeled!
Stay safe everyone!
Love + Light
Fletch
x
