The dance teachers who first uncovered the twinkle-toed talents of Strictly champion Jay McGuiness say they "could not be prouder" after he waltzed away with the Glitterball trophy. The...
The dance teachers who first uncovered the twinkle-toed talents of Strictly champion Jay McGuiness say they "could not be prouder" after he waltzed away with the Glitterball trophy.
The singer and former Wanted band member has been showing off his skills on the dance floor for the last three months on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing – and on Saturday was crowned the winner of the series.
The 25-year-old, of Farndon, near Newark, went head-to-head in the final against Eastenders actress Kellie Bright, Coronation Street's Georgia May Foote and news presenter Katie Derham, but wowed judges and viewers with a near-perfect quickstep routine.
The show isn't the star's first time dancing to a crowd, as between the ages of 12 and 16, the star was a member of the Charlotte Hamilton School of Dance, in Newark.
Owner and dance teacher Charlotte Hamilton said: "I'm ecstatic. I never doubted him, I always knew he could do it. My phone just kept ringing when he won.
"He is an inspiration and he's genuinely a nice lad. He doesn't take anything for granted – it's a fabulous result.
"He came to the school a couple of weeks ago and it was lovely to see him. He wrote a note to all the students."
Emma Clayton is artistic director at the Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama, based in Carlton Hill, where Jay was a student around six years ago.
She said: "Everyone here is so proud. He's really inspiring our next generation of students. They've been following his progress and it's been great watching him over the past few months. He showed great versatility both in ballroom and Latin dancing."
Jay is also a patron of the Children's Bereavement Centre, in Kings Road, Newark, and the team have been cheering him on from their sofas throughout the series.
The charity supports children who have lost loved ones and Jay has been patron for three years.
The team even designed a banner emblazoned with the words '"keep on dancing" – the show's well-known catchphrase.
Director of services at the centre Kate Baxter said: "We were all cheering him on and on the edge of our seats during the final. We're so excited for him. He's from our area and he's been to the centre a few times. He's incredibly supportive."
Strictly champion Jay McGuiness says winning the show was "a real surprise".
Strictly champion Jay McGuiness says winning the show was "a real surprise".
He and his partner Aliona Vilani beat Georgia May Foote and Kellie Bright in Saturday night's final.
"We were stood there murmuring to each other, 'Oh this has been brilliant, just being here and meeting you has been better than winning could even be.'
"But then winning was the best cherry on the cake," he told the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw.
Jay was bottom of the judges' leaderboard after three dances, although the winner was decided purely on the public vote.
"In the dressing room before we finished, we played one of our favourite songs, had a bit of a weep and said thanks for everything.
"And then we wrote it off that it wasn't going to happen - and then we actually won. So it was a real surprise."
The former member of The Wanted had been the bookies' favourite to take the glitterball trophy.
"First of all, you're just hit by a wave of disbelief and shock and then you do think, 'Wait, we're on telly, what face do I do now?' So I just gave her [Aliona] a cuddle and said thanks."
Image caption Mary Berry reads the voting terms and conditions
Bake Off star Mary Berry made an unexpected appearance in the final when she read out the voting terms and conditions.
"They drag her out for everything - she's hard working," joked Jay.
"I own three Mary Berry books so to meet her was brilliant."
Now Strictly is over, Jay says he has to "pick up the pieces of the rest of my life and do life admin".
He said he'll be spending the day trying to blag his way into his brother's work Christmas party.
"I said, 'Do you think I can go?' and he said, 'Well I don't know, I think you've got the glitterball you can probably go anywhere you want to, sort of like the key to the city.
"I am also going to be sort of like a desperate Olympic winner who takes their gold medal everywhere forever - see where it gets me."
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