Strictly Come Dancing beauty Daisy Lowe says hit show left her with ‘nothing left to give’ and reveals heartbreak of split from Bradley ‘Frankie’ Wade
Star blames BBC dance-off-drama for ruining her love life but still thinks she can make it to Blackpool Tower Special
DAISY LOWE has blamed the Strictly Come Dancing curse for ruining her love life, admitting it “became impossible” to keep her latest romance going.
The model vowed in September that the BBC show would not split her and Bradley “Frankie” Wade up.
Daisy, 27, said: “People forget that with Strictly, it’s not just the training. You always have the show and you have to stay nearby the night before.
“Then you have to film [spin-off] It Takes Two each week and you have videos to do. There’s so much stuff that comes alongside the show.
“So it was a really tall order to start a relationship at the beginning of it. As wonderful and kind as Frankie is, I realised I had to put myself first and take care of both of us as a result. It was just impossible.”
Daisy explained that on her one night off a week, she “had no personality” because of her gruelling training sessions.
It meant she had no energy to devote to fellow model Frankie, even at the start of their five-month relationship.
She said: “At the beginning, which is supposed to be the most joyful honeymoon period, I had nothing to give him.
“We could have coped with the pressure if we had been together for ages and had known all of the ins and outs of each other.
“But we had just met and suddenly it was like, ‘Who is this really tired person?’ I didn’t really know who this really tired person was either.
“I’m never usually this exhausted every single day.
“Frankie deserves more than that and so do I.
“I deserve to take care of myself. Now when I get home, I have a bath and take myself to bed.”
The news of the split came as a shock just days after she gushed about her feelings for Frankie on TV.
But Daisy insisted the couple were still in the early stages and had never discussed if they loved each other or not.
She said: “Love didn’t ever come into mine and Frankie’s relationship. We never talked about it because we only dated for a few months.
“He is such an amazing man but I’ve only got one opportunity to do Strictly and I want to give it absolutely everything.
“He embraced it and was really supportive. He was in the green room week after week, chatting to my family for hours while I was on the show.
“But trying to start a new relationship at the same time was just too much. Strictly is the most intense thing I’ve ever done, as well as the best.
“And I need to think about getting through each week before I can think about anything else.” Daisy, who previously dated rocker Thomas Cohen and
West End actor Darius Campbell, said her decision to put the relationship to one side was for the best.
However, she refused to rule out a reunion after the BBC1 show ends.
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Asked if they could rekindle the romance, she said: “I’m trying to live day by day, and I’m going to take each day as it comes.”
Daisy, who is paired with engaged Aljaz Skorjanec on the show, says the professional dancer has been a shoulder to cry on after she and Frankie called it a day.
She said: “I love those two so much — they are totally my family. Aljaz loves oysters, so for about six weeks I’ve been promising to take him out for oysters and this week we went out for oysters with Janette.
“It was such a lovely family dinner. I also had the chance to meet up with my best friend last week, who I have hardly seen since the show began. My friends have been an amazing support. They have all been like, ‘We love you doing this and we’re so proud but we do miss you’. They know I’m putting my heart and soul into dancing. When you do Strictly you have to make sure everyone knows you’re going under.
“But that’s cool — you do come out the other side.”
Daisy, who models for top agency Select, last night danced the salsa to Nineties club track Groove Is In The Heart.
She is hoping the performance will see her through to next week’s Blackpool Tower Ballroom special.
She said: “The salsa is such a laugh. It’s the first time I’ve been able to go out and have a proper party on that dancefloor.
“After being in the bottom two a few times, I know I’m lucky to be here but I’m learning all the time. Strictly has been the most amazing teacher for me and it’s not just about the dancing, it’s been about finding the courage to believe in myself.
“I’ve survived the dance-off, and I know now if that happens I need to grow a pair and be a strong woman.
“I need to go out there and fight to be good enough.
“Anyone who does this competition and says they don’t want to be in the final isn’t being very honest with themselves. But the competition is fierce.
“I would just love to make it to Blackpool. That’s all I’m thinking about.
“I’d love to dance in that ballroom. Hopefully I’ll get there.”
Daisy supports the Rays of Sunshine Children's Charity, which was formed in 2003 to grant wishes for children who are living with serious illnesses.
And after she appeared in a photo shoot arranged by the charity earlier this year, she told how she was in awe of the young girls she posed with.
She said: "I first got involved with Rays of Sunshine when I gave them a recipe from my book a while ago, but I was delighted to be asked to do the shoot.
"The girls I met were just incredible, and so brave. They have to cope with such horrendous things, but they all had smiles on their faces
and I was so impressed.
"I'm hoping to do lots more with Rays of Sunshine in the future, it's a great charity."
Stars in boxtrot
A GANG of Strictly stars, including Laura Whitmore and Danny Mac, partied at the notorious Box club in London’s Soho last month, The Sun can reveal.
Daisy said: “A lot of people went out to The Box – Aljaz Skorjanec, Janette Manrara, Laura and Danny.”
She also joked of contestants swapping dirty messages on Whatsapp: “It’s a constant stream of filth.”
Rinder's sorrow
JUDGE Rinder has told of his sadness after a man he advised legally was murdered.
Dimitri Foskin, from Birmingham, was on trial for possession of a firearm after he was coerced into hiding a gun for a gang member.
The 20-year-old told the truth and was acquitted. Soon after he was shot dead.
Judge Rinder said: “That case affected me quite badly. He was kind and had potential.”
