Strictly Come Dancing star Dianne Buswell has opened up about her desire to have children and how she's been working on a project for her future kids to watch down the line.
Strictly Come Dancing and fresh Bafta winner Dianne Buswell may be living the dream with partner Joe Sugg, but she admits to yearning for one more thing – children.
The professional dancer, 36, has always had a nurturing streak; growing up down under with two older brothers only amplified her desire for a younger sibling to dote on. Instead, she became the go-to babysitter for her cousins, and although kids are in her dreams, they're not on her immediate agenda.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I used to want a little sister or brother," Dianne Buswell confesses. "I was always the babysitter for all my little cousins – I've always been a real lover of children. They fascinate me so much."
While Dianne's dance card is currently full with an upcoming tour alongside Strictly Come Dancing co-star Vito Coppola and another season of Strictly on the horizon, she relishes the thought of motherhood down the line.
In the meantime, she's channelling her maternal instincts into an exciting venture that the children she hopes to have someday would appreciate – creating Bluey Dancealongs for the official Bluey YouTube channel, where kids can learn dances from the hit show's musical numbers.
"I always think that in the future, if I was to have my own kids, that they would be able to potentially watch this," Dianne muses. "It plays at the back of my mind and that's pretty cool."
The dance sessions were captured at Bluey's World in Brisbane, after which Dianne jetted off to visit her family in Western Australia, where she hails from. She's also enjoyed a quaint getaway to Bruges and an adventurous safari trip to South Africa this year with Joe, 33, whom she met when they were paired on Strictly in 2018.
However, the real graft is set to begin with the 'Dianne & Vito – Red Hot And Ready' tour launching in June, followed by early Strictly rehearsals kicking off in August. "We had a couple of days in Bruges, which was lovely," shares Dianne.
"And Joe and I got to do a trip to South Africa as well, which was incredible – and I got to go home to Australia. I feel like there'sa big chunk of work coming up but I definitely have prioritised downtime."
Most celebs who join Strictly are taken aback by the physical demands of the dancing. Despite being a professional dancer herself, Dianne admits she can relate to their struggles.
"I love moving my body," she confesses. "I do it a lot for mental health and it just makes me so happy, but when I go back to dance, it's a different set of muscles you're using and you do feel it. When celebrities say, 'Wow, this is intense on my body!' I'm like, 'I understand!' If I've had a month or two off, my body goes into shock mode."
Last winter, Dianne and her Strictly celebrity partner Chris McCausland left a lasting impression on viewers. Dianne guided comedian Chris, who is blind, through the dance routines, their performances underpinned by their genuine friendship and shared sense of humour.
Fans showered the dynamic duo with love, awarding them the Glitterball Trophy, and Dianne Buswell's joy doubled when she snagged a Bafta for most memorable TV moment this month.
In her acceptance speech, she reminisced about Chris' performance that clinched the Bafta, sharing, "He closed his eyes and he smiled a smile I've never seen from him before and that meant it came straight from his heart. This moment meant so much to the both of us, so I'm so thrilled that we have this."
Her words captured the essence of their unique bond, which has only grown stronger through their hit podcast Winning Isn't Everything. Dianne gushed about Chris, saying, "He's so funny," and confidently declared, "It's definitely a friendship that will last forever, for sure."
Dancing alongside Chris also imparted a valuable lesson to Dianne. She reflected, "Before, I was always looking for perfection," but added, "But with Chris, if something wasn't perfect, I almost loved it even more. For people to resonate with it on an emotional level is even more powerful. He taught me that."
Since joining Strictly in 2017, Dianne's life has been a whirlwind of romance, victory, and adoration from fans. She marvels at the journey, pondering, "I wonder if I didn't join the show, what I'd be doing now," and concludes with a smile, "It's mad but it's a ride I've enjoyed."
For Dianne, each Strictly series brings a unique experience due to her ever-changing celebrity partners, and she makes it a point to get to know them well.
"I do my research so that I know more about them," she shares, adding that the most insightful discoveries come from working together in the studio.
Her approach is centred around fostering a bond with her partners and translating that connection onto the dance floor. She aims to inspire a genuine passion for dance in them.
"You don't want to feel like you're making them dance," she clarifies. "You want them to want to dance. If they're wanting to do it, then you'll be absolutely fine. But you've got to know their limits and choreograph to their strengths."
Catch Dianne & Vito – Red Hot And Ready on tour from 11 June to 26 July. For more details, visit dianneandvito.co.uk. You can also watch Dianne in Bluey Dancealongs on the official Bluey YouTube channel.
