EastEnders star drops biggest hint yet that she’s signed up for Strictly Come Dancing 2025 after saying no ‘for years’
STRICTLY Come Dancing 2025 could see another EastEnders star slipping into ballroom shoes after one famous face hinted that she’s poised to sign up.
The soap’s Jamie Borthwick is the most recent actor from Walford to take to the dance floor, having competed in both this year’s main Strictly series and last year’s Christmas special.
And now, Shona McGarty – aka Whitney Dean – has led fans to believe that she could be following in his footsteps next year.
In a new interview, Shona has admitted that she has been approached to take part in Strictly multiple times, but has always turned it down.
The actress says her anxiety has always got in the way of her signing up to the BBC show.
But Shona, who has appeared on EastEnders since the age of 16, finally feels ready to do it.
Speaking to Revamp, she said: “I have been several times, but I turned it down personally because of my anxiety.
“I think it just got in the way. I would think, ‘I can’t do it,’ or, ‘It’s not the right time’. I just panicked, and I kick myself for it now.
“But now that I’m older, I’m like, you know what? I’ll do it.
“I feel like everything happens for a reason.”
In May this year, Shona bowed out of EastEnders.
She had played Bianca Jackson’s stepdaughter Whitney Dean since 2008.
Whitney left Walford to start a new life with her baby Dolly and teen foster daughter Britney (Lola Campbell).
Following her exit, Shona landed the lead role in the stage show 2:22 A Ghost Story.
The play has a rotating cast and has featured celebs including Harry Potter star Tom Felton, Girls Aloud‘s Cheryl Cole and One Tree Hill’s Sophia Bush.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun in the summer, Shona said she was finding stage work as opposed to the small screen “scary”.
EastEnders stars who have been on Strictly
Strictly Come Dancing has played host to a long list of EastEnders stars over the years. How many of these do you remember
Jamie Borthwick: 2024
Rose Ayling-Ellis: 2022
Emma Barton: 2019
Tameka Empson: 2016
Kellie Bright: 2015
Jake Wood: 2014
Scott Maslen: 2010
Patsy Kensit: 2010
Kara Tointon: 2010
Gillian Taylford: 2008
Christopher Parker: 2004
She said: “We’ve had some really great audiences so far. They all laugh and get shocked at different things in the show, which keeps us on our toes – you never know how they will react. It’s scary.
“No matter how many times we do it, I always get butterflies in my stomach and think something could go wrong. But when we get into it, it is great, and I’m really enjoying it.”
However, last month Shona teased a return to Albert Square.
When asked if she would return for EastEnders’ 40th anniversary in February, she said: “I wouldn’t say no. I definitely would because I would do anything to celebrate EastEnders.”