Former Strictly Come Dancing star Jason Bell, who graced the dance floor in 2020 with professional dancer Luba Mushtuk, has opened up about the rigours of the competition in an exclusive chat with Reach. Despite their early exit from the 18th season of the BBC show, Jason lauded his partner Luba for her unwavering support and acknowledged the "challenging" nature of the contest.
In a broader discussion regarding his collaboration with Samsung on their American Football Jargon Buster initiative, aimed at demystifying the sport for UK audiences, Jason shared his affection for Strictly: "I love Strictly. When I first started coming over here, it was one of the first shows I started looking at, and I was like, 'Oh, this is really cool.' And my daughter loves it, so we watch it together every year."
The sports pundit and ex-NFL athlete also expressed his ongoing support for Luba and highlighted other contestants he's rooting for, including Sam Quek, Tasha Ghouri, and JB Gill. He empathised with the current competitors, saying: "I'm just a fan of the show, and I know how hard it is and the work they put in every week. So every time they're out there and they finish, I can just feel the joy they have with accomplishing and getting through that dance."
The star beamed with admiration for the Strictly Come Dancing contestants and their rigorous routines, saying: "Because the hours that they put in for those couple of minutes is amazing, and I just applaud every time they finish. I'm just clapping, like, 'Hey, good job. Because that is not easy.'"
When questioned over his predictions for the winner, Jason confessed, "I don't know. I never know. That's what I love about the show."
He continued, sharing his enthusiasm for the progress participants make, stating: "I'm just watching, but it's what the fans want and what the votes are. I just look at people go out there and improve every week and dance. And I think I just celebrate them all because I understand how difficult that is."
Talking about his own experience with dance partner Luba during rehearsals, he let slip: "I just wanted to get through the dance and remember stuff. You know, I was like, 'I remembered every move! This is great!'"
Reflecting on the significance of the scores, Jason added: "You know, whatever the score was didn't even matter, because I was like, 'I did this! ' And that's what I feel when they all go through it. It's so challenging. You learn a lot about yourself, which is great."
Jason also praised the production team of the beloved dancing competition, gushing: "The one thing I always say about that show is that - those cameramen, the production, the music - it's unbelievable. These are the best people on the planet working behind the scenes on this show. And you see it every weekend when we get to watch it."
Elsewhere in the interview, Jason excitedly spoke about his new, helpful guide to help American Football novices understand the game better.
He said: “The British love their sports, but to understand your sports, you’ve got to know the rules, and Samsung has got some data together that shows over 60% of the public is struggling with knowing the rules.
“That's why we started the NFL Jargon Buster playbook, so we can give them some of the terminology so they can try to follow along.
“Sometimes the words and terminology will kind of just throw you off, so being able to understand what it all means will allow you to [get into it].
“It's just like learning a new language. You’ve just got to build on each word at a time, and the next thing you know, you're speaking fluently.”
Summing up the game for new fans, he continued: “For the main rules, you just have to think that the team's got four tries to move the ball 10 yards, and that's, in essence, what you're trying to do. It's as simple as that.
“Watch the quarterback - that's the key. Everything starts and ends with them, and really just move on from there. But keep watching and be patient with yourself.
“And then I would say, keep my Jargon Buster playbook right in front of you, in case something pops up. So, then you can say, ‘Oh, I know exactly what that means!’
“But now is the time to really get involved, because this is when good football is starting to be played,” he encouraged.
Jason also identified his top two teams: legacy champions Kansas City Chiefs, and the Detroit Lions, who he described as “the underdogs”.
Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight at 6.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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Jason Bell has partnered with Samsung , the official TV partner of NFL UK, to create the American Football Jargon Buster to help fans from fumbling the rules.
