Ricky Champ felt like Kat Slater in his ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ outfit.
The ‘EastEnders’ actor has embraced the glitz and glamour for this year’s special edition of the BBC show for ‘Children In Need’, and he joked his animal-print top was reminiscent of Jessie Wallace’s alter-ego.
He told the Daily Star newspaper: "It certainly looked like something Kat might wear. We all had them. Mine was very colourful. It’s not pink. It’s ‘happy salmon’.
"When I saw the outfits I thought, ‘Kat Slater could clothe ‘Strictly’ for a year.’ "
The 39-year-old soap star first appeared in Albert Square as TV villain Stuart Highway last year, and he hopes tonight’s (15.11.19) charity telethon performance will prove he’s "nothing like" his character.
He added: "The nice thing about doing this show is that it will raise money and also will show people that I am nothing like Stuart!"
Ricky will be joined on the ballroom floor by fellow ‘EastEnders’ stars Maisie Smith (Tiffany Butcher), Rudolph Walker (Patrick Trueman) and Louisa Lytton (Ruby Allen).
And although he learned contemporary dance at drama school in his younger days, he hasn’t kept it up as he’s got older.
He joked: "I’ve been known to break out into a dance to Bruce Springsteen in my time. But now I’ve done this I might do a foxtrot!"
Ricky will be dancing with Luba Mushtuk; Louisa will be partnered with Gorka Marquez; Maisie will take to the floor with Kevin Clifton, and Rudolph will be partnered with Nancy Xu.
They will compete in a group number, choreographed by former ‘Strictly’ professional Trent Whiddon, in a bid to be crowned champions.