Dr Ranj Singh, mostly known for his role as a professional in-house Doctor on This Morning, is participating in 2018’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC. He will be competing alongside the likes of Katie Piper, Graeme Swann and Faye Tozer, fighting out on the dance floor in a bid to impress the show’s panel of judges.
The 39-year-old comes from a traditional Indian Sikh family background and is a practised NHS clinician. Dr Ranj advises listeners that call onto the show and primarily focuses on the good-health of young adults and children. He has also worked as a journalist and health correspondent for Net Doctor, and taken part in other TV presentation work on the children’s network CBeebies.
However, despite his experience working on the big-screen, Dr Ranj admitted to almost letting his nerves get the better of him on Strictly’s Opening night show. He says that he was absolutely “terrified” of performing with his partner on stage: “I was literally on the verge of tears in the morning and I just didn’t think I could do it” he said.
The Doctor has been trying to balance his professional work at a hospital with his practice for the competition. However, he expressed that his dance mentor and partner Manrara has been an enormous comfort: “We get on so well… she’s got this weird sixth sense where she knows exactly what I’m thinking and feeling.”
Despite his initial fears, the This Morning Doctor and his partner managed to blow the judges away with their lively cha cha cha to Whitney Houston’s ‘How Will I know’ on the first night of the show. The pair tied for second place with a total of 27 points and even received an eight from judge Shirley Ballas.
The audience and judge’s over-whelming positive response came as a surprise to Dr Ranj, who described being on the show as “exciting and equally frightening.” He said: “It is a high-pressure environment. I don’t have any dance experience other than party dancing.”
You can catch more of Dr Ranj on this season’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing, Saturdays at 6:30 pm on BBC One.
