Greg Wise reveals the touching reason he signed up for Strictly Come Dancing

Greg Wise has revealed the touching reason he joined Strictly Come Dancing.

The actor is one of this year’s confirmed Strictly stars who will make their debut in the ballroom in tonight’s launch show.

Ahead of his first appearance, Greg shared the main motivation for signing up was in memory of his late sister who passed away from cancer in 2016.

He said: “My beautiful sister was a huge disco queen. She left our world almost exactly 5 years ago in a glitter ball coffin. This is for her. My gorgeous Diva sis, who would have been insane with excitement that her little bro was doing this.

“I will channel her, as her bro can’t dance – but I’m thrilled to be dipping my toes, knees, hips and arms into this wonderful world, and hope to make her proud, and obviously make her laugh…”

Appearing on ITV’s This Morning to talk more about taking part this week, he added: “Clare was a huge disco diva and we sent her out of this life in a disco ball coffin to banging 80s music.

“She’s prodding me massively to do it. Clare will enjoy watching her little brother do it. She’ll be sitting on my left or right shoulder depending on how well I’m doing.”

Greg is best known for his various film, television and theatre roles, including The Crown, Cranford, Walking on Sunshine and his breakout role in Sense and Sensibility.

Greg also wrote box-office hit film Last Christmas with his wife – Emma Thompson – and the book Not That Kind of Love with his late sister.

He said of getting Strictly-fied: “As an actor, I love getting in all the costumes and getting in the world of the part that I’m playing. This is the same thing.

“I’m getting into the world of Strictly by playing the part of someone who knows how to dance. So throw on the sequins, spray me with tan, whiten my teeth and I’ll be fine.”

Greg added: “I loved Bill Bailey, he is a champ. His dance to Rapper’s Delight was extraordinary. He is my talisman. If Bill, who put the work in with Oti, can get through a few weeks, then so can I.”

The new series of Strictly starts tonight at 7:45PM on BBC One.

Names on Strictly Come Dancing line up include Olympian Adam Peaty, EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis, telly presenter AJ Odudu, McFly’s Tom Fletcher and TV and social media personality Tilly Ramsay.

Also on the cast are actor Robert Webb, Bake Off star John Whaite, comedian and presenter Judi Love, CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson and presenter and broadcaster Dan Walker.

Concluding this year’s line up are broadcaster and sports pundit Ugo Monye, Dragons’ Den’s Sara Davies MBE, actor & presenter Nina Wadia and ex-Corrie star Katie McGlynn.