Byline: Roz Laws
HE MAY have shot to fame as a rough, tough rugby player, but Strictly Come Dancing put Austin Healey in touch with his feminine side.
He was quick to embrace all the Lycra and sequins - and admits he became addicted to fake tanning.
Which is why he's delighted he now has an excuse to go back into the spray tan booth and bare his buff torso on TV again.
Austin is putting on his dancing shoes - and taking Erin Boag back in his arms - to compete in the Strictly Christmas Special, a highlight of Christmas Day viewing on BBC1. He's joining Gethin Jones and Rachel Stevens to take on three of this year's contestants.
And he's also back on the dance-floor in January as the Strictly live tour travels around the country.
Austin confesses: "I'm looking forward to getting back into the fake tan habit. It really does make you feel better, especially in the winter when you're looking all pasty. I've been on multiple holidays this year to top up my tan, but it's worn off now.
"When I was doing the show last year, I tried to go a few weeks without the fake tan and the others complained I was letting the side down. So I went with the flow and joined in."
Monogram Denim HandbagsThe Strictly tour comes to the LG Arena at Birmingham NEC from January 21-24.
Also on board are this year's contestants Ali Bastian, Natalie Cassidy, Zoe Lucker, Ricky Groves and Chris Hollins, plus Kelly Brook and Mark Ramprakash - and the original line-up of judges including Arlene Phillips.
Austin might have had a fight on his hands with Ricky over who gets to dance with Erin, but as she's not going on the tour, Austin will be partnered by Lilia Kopylova.
"That's fine, we get on well, she's a good girl and likes a laugh," says Austin, known as The Leicester Lip for his outspoken comments.
"I will be out to win every night.
On the TV show everyone says 'It's fine, I'm just enjoying the journey'. But I want to win every single night, just to annoy James Jordan!
Fake Ulysse Nardin Watches"I've done a few corporate events with Erin so I've sort of kept up the dancing. I rely on muscle memory - when you hear the music, you start to remember the steps.
"For the Christmas special, Erin and I will be performing our paso doble, which will either be really good or really bad."
Austin received a standing ovation when he stomped on to the dancefloor as a macho bullfighter in his now-legendary paso. So will Midland audiences get to see that on tour? "I don't think so, as it won't convert to a massive arena. I don't think 10,000 people would be able to hear me shout 'Ole'!" Austin has chosen his favourite on this series of Strictly.
"I'd like to see Chris Hollins win and I think he can do it - he's not the best dancer in there but he's got a lot of public support."
Austin seems to still be smarting a little from his surprise quarter-fi-nal exit from the competition. He was an early favourite to win, so what does he think went wrong? "Sometimes it's just down to luck. It can be hard to compare couples when you're doing different dances. I got 36, the best score ever for a male dancer doing a salsa, but I went out against Lisa Snowdon's waltz which didn't score as highly."
Austin lives
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