Laila Rouass has revealed she ‘didn’t enjoy’ Strictly Come Dancing and ‘really wanted to leave’ when she appeared on the show in 2009.
The Footballers’ Wives and Holby Coty star, 50, has told how the competition was a ‘nightmare’ despite finishing fourth alongside professional dance partner Anton Du Beke.
Chatting on The Graham Norton Radio Show, the star – who is engaged to snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan – also explained how ‘you’re paid the same’ no matter how long you stay in.
Oh dear: Laila Rouass has revealed she ‘didn’t enjoy’ Strictly Come Dancing and ‘really wanted to leave’ when she appeared on the show in 2009 (pictured with partner Anton Du Beke)
She said: ‘Oh my god that was a nightmare, it was a nightmare! I really wanted to leave, I didn’t enjoy it.’
‘I love the show but I wanted to do Blackpool and that’s six weeks, and so I go on, we do Blackpool, Rod Stewart’s there, I’m thinking I’m living the dream.’
After completing her ambition of making it to Blackpool, the actress remained on the show for another five weeks, something she wasn’t too pleased about.
‘After being voted through you’ve got to go to the camera and go ‘thank you, thank you so much’, and I go ‘I can’t believe this, I want to go home!” Laila continued.
Reflecting: The Footballers’ Wives and Holby Coty star, 50, has told how the competition was a ‘nightmare’ despite finishing fourth alongside professional dance partner Anton
‘Six weeks and I wanted to go. You get paid the same anyway, whether you’re in the first week or the 17th week.’
The BBC has been contacted by MailOnline for a comment.
It comes after late last year Laila branded Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy ‘lightweights’ for their Wagatha Christie court battle.
The star, who played Amber Gates Footballers’ Wives, spoke about the scandal raging between the WAGs, aged 35 and 39 respectively, in which they are battling in the High Court over claims that the latter was story-leaking about the former.
Money talks: Chatting on The Graham Norton Radio Show, the star – who is engaged to snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan – also explained how ‘you’re paid the same’ no matter how long you stay in
Amid the dramatic storylines on the ITV show, Laila insisted the battle would be fought differently on-screen: ‘If it was Footballers’ Wives they’d have had it out in the players’ lounge, none of this court business’.
Much to the devastation of devoted fans, Footballers’ Wives came off-air after five seasons in 2006, following its 2002 launch, with the programme reaching icon status due to baby-swapping, murder and cheating storylines.
Footballers’ Wives made Noughties history thanks to its absurd themes and storylines, spawning memes lasting years and also endless pop culture references.
Iconic: The star rose to fame on Footballers’ Wives where she played Amber Gates from 2004 to 2006
In 2019, the show hit headlines when Coleen and Rebekah’s story leaking ‘Wagatha Christie’ scandal was likened to a storyline from the show.
Laila weighed in on the story and how it would play out on the show, as she told The Sun: ‘If it was Footballers’ Wives they’d have had it out in the players’ lounge…
‘None of this court business, they would have ripped each other’s t*ts off, ripped each other’s hair extensions out and moved on. They would have dealt with it that way. I think Coleen and Rebekah are lightweights, to be honest.’
Laila played troubled Amber, whose storylines included having her baby swapped with her arch nemesis Tanya Turner’s child. Her pet pug smothered the child in its crib, leading to Amber digging up the baby’s grave.
She starred on the show from 2004 to 2006.
Speaking about the show recently, she said: ‘I was desperate to do it when I was offered, I left my job a month early it was nice to be part of a glamorous show in the sun with the big houses. The ladies loved Gary, he went from hunk to hero!’
Together: Laila is engaged to snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan (pictured together in 2016 when he received his OBE)
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