Carley Stenson doesn’t fear Strictly Come Dancing curse as fiance Danny Mac makes ballroom debut
DANNY Mac's fiancee Carley Stenson is not worried about the 'Strictly Curse' striking twice - after she split from former boyfriend Ricky Whittle during his time on the BBC One dancing show in 2009.
The former Hollyoaks actress became engaged to hunky Danny earlier this year, ahead of him confirming his part in the 2016 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
However this isn't the first time Carley, 34, has had to stand by and watch her man get up close and personal with a female professional dancer, as she was dating Ricky when he signed up to be part of the show seven years ago.
Despite showing support for her then beau in the early stages of the competition, the couple split amid claims Ricky had grown close to his dance partner, Natalie Lowe.
But speaking exclusively to The Sun Online, Carley revealed Danny, 28, had asked her permission to do the show, but not because of what had happened in the past.
She said: "He said to me 'Do you want me to do it? If you don't want me to do it I won't' and I said 'Are you kidding? Do it!'
"I'm not really worried, it wasn't that [the Ricky situation] as that was so long ago.
"He just knows we're both very private so he was like 'This is going to catapult us a little bit' so I was like 'No babe, do it'."
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Carley - who played Steph Cunningham in the Channel 4 soap until 2011 - knows all too well how much attention can be put on celebrities taking part in the show and their relationships both on and off screen.
The star had to endure nothing short of a media circus following her split from Ricky and all the rumours surrounding his closeness to Natalie, but Carley insists it was made out to be much worse than it actually was.
She explained: "I didn't really stay...I wasn't really with Ricky back then.
"I think I only watched it once and then we weren't together any more so I've not really seen the show either.
"We weren't together while he was on the show so it was quite hilarious [the media stories at the time] so this is a brand new experience."
In fact, Carley can't wait to see her fiance strut his stuff on the dance floor with professional partner Oti Mabuse on tonight's show, and doesn't mind him already being labelled as the hunk of series 14.
She said: "I drool over him so I don't blame them.
"When people say 'Oh he's lovely' I agree, but what's really sweet is that people think that he's like that, and he's the hunk and he likes taking his top off which he REALLY doesn't.
"He is actually a lot more than meets the eye which I'm looking forward to people seeing. It's more on the inside than on the outside."
With a wedding to plan, many would think Carley would be keen for Danny to pick up enough dance tips to help them perfect their wedding dance, but the blonde beauty admitted the reality was very different.
She laughed: "No I think it's going to be quite free, I wouldn't put that pressure on us, as I don't want to look stupid.
"Everyone would be so used to seeing him with Oti and not me and it'll be me and I'll look stupid, so I'm more than happy for it to be very natural."
