Strictly star Jayde Adams is prepared for fat-shaming trolls while she’s tearing up the dance floor
Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer. (Strictly Come Dancing/ YouTube)
Comedian and actress Jayde Adams, who is currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing, has smashed her first dance – but admitted she’s preparing herself for fat-shaming comments.
Speaking to The Guardian, Adams revealed fat-shaming comments are a regular part of her life.
“It’s part of my life. A woman can’t be on television without one of two things happening: either someone saying she’s ugly or fat, or they send her really disgusting messages.”
Adams said she is “desensitised to it”, but will report abusive tweets to the person’s workplace, if she can find that out.
“I don’t take any of this stuff lying down. I’m not a victim.”
She pointed out male Strictly contestants don’t get comments about their weight, and she says she knows her appearance on the show will be political, especially as she is dancing with Karen Hauer.
Jayde Adams said the pairing just felt natural to her. (Getty)
Adams also spoke about her newest comedy show, which is based on the fragility of the straight, white man – and which, by the way, is genius.
“I had observed men a lot, and what I had observed is that they are really quite lost right now. That immediately kicks in the desire I have to save everyone.
“The real reason I’m doing the comedy show is, through a series of eliminations, I came to straight white guys as the only thing I can take the piss out of. No one’s going to cancel me.”
Continuing, she speaks about the very prevalent topic of censorship.
“I know what I don’t want to joke about; I have no desire to hurt people’s feelings,” she says. “I also don’t believe that you should be telling other people what they can say. I don’t want to live in that world.”
Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer after a Strictly Come Dancing performance. (BBC)
Jayde Adams is not Strictly Come Dancing‘s first same-sex pairing, after Nicola Adams and Katya Jones competed in 2020, and John Whaite and Johannes Radebe sashayed onto the dance floor in 2021. Adams and Jones were forced to withdraw due to COVID, but Whaite and Radebe made the show’s prestigious finale.
An additional all-male couple features on the dance floor in 2022, after radio personality Richie Anderson was encouraged by his boyfriend to enter the competition with another man.
“They actually gave me the option over it,” Anderson said. “When I spoke to my other half Dean, it was our 10-year anniversary and he was like, ‘you have to,’ and it‘s the 50th anniversary of Pride in the UK.”
Adams was moved to tears after receiving a standing ovation for her first dance of the series.
