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Katya Jones is partnered with Lewis Cope on Strictly Come Dancing(Image: BBC)

BBC Strictly Come Dancing professional Katya Jones gushed over her dance partner as they marked reaching the milestone Blackpool show.

Actor Lewis Cope had shared his surprise at reaching the Blackpool stage of Strictly Come Dancing, following an unexpected start to his journey on the show. The former Emmerdale actor wasn’t initially included in the BBC’s original line-up for the 2025 series, announced back in August.

Lewis, known for his role as Nicky Milligan in the ITV soap from 2022 to 2024, was a last-minute addition after Kristian Nairn had to pull out just weeks before the launch. Since joining the competition, Lewis and his dance partner Katya have been a force to be reckoned with, even achieving the first perfect score of 40 during Halloween week with their electrifying couple’s choice routine to Radiohead’s ‘Creep’.

Last weekend, their Tango to Sombr’s ’12 to 12′ secured their place in week nine of the contest – the much-anticipated Blackpool special, where the cast and crew head north to broadcast live from the iconic Tower Ballroom.

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Strictly’s Katya Jones and Lewis Cope(Image: Katya Jones Instagram)

Lewis and Katya spoke exclusively to the Manchester Evening News about their rehearsal experiences. “The rehearsals have been brilliant,” Lewis shared.

“Obviously, with being in Blackpool, we’ve got extra dancers. So it’s my first time dancing with more than just Katya. So there’s another six people in the routine, so there’s like eight of us.”

Katya then queried him: “Do you feel like you have to like ramp up your energy in them?” to which he responded: “Yeah, because you’ve got all these professional dancers around you and I was like, well, I don’t want to look silly, but I’m going to try and match their energy, you know… I don’t want to stand out for the wrong reason. But yeah, yesterday was great, wasn’t it? And it was nice to kind of feel that buzz in the room as well.”

While it’s not his first visit to Blackpool, it’s a vastly different experience this time around. He commented: “I’ve been a couple of times when I was younger and stuff like that, but it feels very different this time coming to Blackpool – now being here for like a super moment I guess, such a big event.

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The pair have formed a firm friendship(Image: Lewis Cope Instagram)

“I’ve never been to the Tower, though, and I didn’t even know there was a ballroom in the Tower, and then once I’ve looked at it, it’s just kind of breathtaking so I can’t wait to get in there and feel the energy.”

For Katya, it’s familiar territory – and not just because of Strictly. She spent much of her competitive dancing career taking part in – and winning – competitions in the seaside resort.

“What’s really lovely is to see the town, it’s changed so much in over 20 years I’ve been coming and it’s getting really, it is really, really lovely.”

Speaking about her celebrity partner, Katya continued: “I want them to experience it as what we experience, you know, and now, at this stage in the competition or in the show, they’re not contestants anymore, they are our dance partners.”

Turning to Lewis, she said: “Do you remember the first time we danced? It was so alien and awkward, it didn’t feel right. Now, we’re like boom, straight to the ballroom hold.

“We have truly gelled as dance partners, so… Yeah, I really want you [Lewis] to get, historically, what it means to us as a tradition and why this talent brings so much buzz into the whole North, you know, Blackpool and to people. Every cab driver, they talk about it. Strictly Come Dancing brings so much to Blackpool.”

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Their Halloween routine scored the first perfect 40 of the show(Image: PA)

Lewis hadn’t contemplated his journey in the competition too deeply. “Do you know what, I’ve never thought this far ahead,” he admitted.

“Truthfully, I never ever thought this far ahead. The training is that intense, that relentless, you know. It’s fully consuming, the show is fully consuming in a good way, but it is fully-consuming, that I’ve really never thought this far ahead. It’s almost like I’ve just blinked and now I’ve woke up in Blackpool.”

Now that he’s arrived in Blackpool, Lewis reflected on the significance of the moment. “I actually do feel like we’ve achieved, we’ve made like a massive achievement to get here. It feels like a really big milestone,” he explained. “It feels that big deal. It feels, it probably feels like the first big achievement within the show. I know every single week’s an achievement to get through, but this feels like it’s just lifted to the next level.”

He continued: “It’s a lot bigger than dancing and it’s a lot bigger and just one person and one celebrity or one couple, you know. It’s much bigger than that, like you say, it brings purpose and joy to people’s lives. I’ve got friends and family who’d say, ‘I never thought my Saturday nights would look like this!’

“But they love it now they wouldn’t change it for the world because it’s bringing their family together. Now, all of a sudden, they’re sat at home with their with their family, you know, across different generations and brings people together.”

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Lewis admitted he never thought about making it to the Blackpool milestone(Image: BBC)

The previous weekend saw a dramatic turn in the leaderboard, with Vicky Pattison dropping to the bottom despite topping the scores the week before, resulting in her departure from the competition.

“At this stage, the competition’s so tight, and especially, you know, we keep losing people. So I think it’s really important for people to remember that, you know, it doesn’t mean that everyone’s through, like, they have to support their favourite,” Katya said. “But yeah, no, like we said, so far we’ve just been focusing on doing the best dance, the best performance on the night as we can, that’s all that we can control.”

However, Lewis and Katya were also keen to express their appreciation to those who have supported them throughout the competition – and they’re hoping that backing continues.

“First of all, without the support and without love from others, I don’t think anyone can really do their best and to feel the love and the support from the people who voted to get us this far, I am so grateful because dancing brings me so much joy,” Lewis said.