Nikita Kanda of Strictly Come Dancing has claimed she wants to showcase her South Asian roots on the dancefloor.
The BBC Asian Network Breakfast presenter will compete alongside Gorka Marquez against Les Dennis, EastEnders star Bobby Brazier, and Love Island‘s Zara McDermott.
Nikita, 28, previously stated that joining the show was a ‘dream come true’ for her and that she didn’t believe it would ‘fully settle in until [she] stepped onto the dancefloor’.
Her first week on the ballroom floor, however, saw her fall to the bottom of the leader board as judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood, and Anton Du Beke awarded her a total of 18 points.
But she’s not worried, saying that she’s been ‘enjoying’ week two practising to Beyonce’s Single Ladies, while admitting she was ‘nervous’ during the first live concert and ‘definitely could have done a bit better’.
And she’s now hinted at future appearances, saying she’d love to show off her ancestry on the BBC One show.
When asked if she and Gorka plan to incorporate any Bollywood into their dances as the weeks go on, Nikita told us: ‘We haven’t had any conversations about that, I know there was an amazing Bollywood number they did last year on the show.
‘We’ll see what happens during the competition, but I guess it doesn’t need to be just Bollywood, it could be any incorporation of South Asian culture.’
‘Some Punjabi music,’ Gorka chimed in with.
‘Yeah maybe some Punjabi music… we haven’t really spoken about it, but it would be cool to bring some part of my culture into it as the weeks go on,’ Nikita added.
She already stated on It Takes Two that her dance this week will be dedicated to her mother.
She said: ‘She is the single woman in my life. She brought me and my sister up on her own.
‘So, this one is going out to all the single parents out there that have done everything for their kids. I feel like this is the perfect tribute to my mum.’
Talking about her mum’s reaction to the news that she was on the show, Nikita added to us: ‘My mum cried as soon as she found out I was going to do Strictly, because we’ve watched it as a family growing up.
‘It’s one of my mom’s favourite TV shows. So I think for my mom it’s like wow, like surreal.
‘As much as it’s surreal for me, it’s surreal for my family, as well to see me on Saturday night telly. So yeah, it’s amazing.
‘My family are all really supportive, even my grandma’s watching it. Everyone’s just so excited.’
Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight on BBC One at 6.20pm.
