Anthony Ogogo has revealed how a shoulder injury led to him joining this year’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ line-up.
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The Olympic boxer surprised reporters at this year’s ‘Strictly’ press launch when he arrived with his arm in a sling, having undergone surgery for an injury he acquired in the boxing ring earlier this year.
Assuring everyone his injury should have healed by the first week of live shows, Anthony admitted to HuffPost UK and others: “It’s hard, but as an athlete you’ve got to work around stuff.
Anthony Ogogo
“My plan was, as a boxer, I was going to fight eight times this year. But I dislocated my shoulder, and couldn’t fight.”
He went on to explain that when ‘Strictly’ learned of his predicament, they allowed him to make the most of a bad situation, and offered him a spot on the show.
Anthony continued: “‘Strictly’ got wind of it, and they were keen on me anyway, so they rang me up and said ‘do you want to do the show?’
Anthony in the ring
“I spoke to my surgeon, spoke to a doctor and my physio, and they said as long as you’re careful, for the six to eight weeks post-op, you’ll be OK.
“So I had a choice to make. Do I want to sit at home and do nothing. Sulk, whinge, watch TV and eat crap and get fat? Or do I want to do the biggest TV show in the country, raise my profile, get to wear the sexiest, campest outfits in the world…?
“And really, the camp outfits, that was the tipping point! That’s what sold it to me.”
‘Strictly Come Dancing’ returns to our screens this Saturday (5 September), when the celebrity contestants will also be finding out which professional dancers they’ve been partnered with.