Nikita Kanda is keen to show off her culture on the dancefloor (Picture: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing star Nikita Kanda has revealed she’s keen to show off her South Asian heritage on the dancefloor.
The BBC Asian Network Breakfast presenter is paired up with Gorka Marquez, as she goes up against the likes of Les Dennis, EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier and Love Island’s Zara McDermott.
Nikita, 28, previously said it was a ‘dream come true’ to join the show, and that she didn’t think it would ‘properly sink in until [she] stepped onto the dancefloor’.
However, her first week on the ballroom floor left her second to the bottom of the leader board, after judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke gave her a total of 18 points.
But she’s not letting it phase her, telling Metro.co.uk that she’s been ‘enjoying’ week two training to Beyonce’s Single Ladies, after admitting she was ‘nervous’ during the first live show and ‘probably could have done a bit better’.
And she’s now teased future performances, revealing she’d be keen to show off her heritage on the BBC One programme.
Nikita and Gorka found themselves towards the bottom of the leaderboard last week (Picture: PA)
When asked if she and Gorka plan to incorporate any Bollywood into their dances as the weeks go on, Nikita told us: ‘We haven’t had any conversations about that, I know there was an amazing Bollywood number they did last year on the show.
‘We’ll see what happens during the competition, but I guess it doesn’t need to be just Bollywood, it could be any incorporation of South Asian culture.’
‘Some Punjabi music,’ Gorka chimed in with.
‘Yeah maybe some Punjabi music… we haven’t really spoken about it, but it would be cool to bring some part of my culture into it as the weeks go on,’ Nikita added.
The broadcaster had previously said on It Takes Two that her dance this week will be dedicated to her mum.
She said: ‘She is the single woman in my life. She brought me and my sister up on her own.
‘So, this one is going out to all the single parents out there that have done everything for their kids. I feel like this is the perfect tribute to my mum.’
This weekend, Nikita is dedicating her performance to her mum (Picture: BBC)
Talking about her mum’s reaction to the news that she was on the show, Nikita added to us: ‘My mum cried as soon as she found out I was going to do Strictly, because we’ve watched it as a family growing up.
‘It’s one of my mom’s favourite TV shows. So I think for my mom it’s like wow, like surreal.
‘As much as it’s surreal for me, it’s surreal for my family, as well to see me on Saturday night telly. So yeah, it’s amazing.
‘My family are all really supportive, even my grandma’s watching it. Everyone’s just so excited.’
Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight on BBC One at 6.20pm.
