We’re so excited for the start of Strictly 2021, and one celeb we’re hoping will go the distance in this year’s competition is the lovely Nina Wadia.
Whether you know her best as Zainab Masood in Eastenders or the hilarious sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, she’s been a regular on our screens for years. Now, we’re getting ready to see Nina in a whole new light as she begins her Strictly journey.
“I think i’ll be terrified. I’m always terrified, any time I go on stage or film anything I'm always slightly nauseous but that’s just me. For me it’ll be about remembering the choreography. I haven’t done that in years.” Nina said, ahead of the Strictly launch show.
“I want to learn how to dance really well, I want to know how they do all these dances - how do they get everyone who doesn’t know how to do it to do it?”
But why now? “I’m 52 and my joints hurt,” she jokes.
It’s been quite a while since Nina was last on the dancefloor, but we’re still hoping she’ll be able to bring some of her childhood dance experience to the ballroom!
“When I was very little in India, my mum sent me for Bharatanatyam classes which is an Indian classical dance form. I did that until I was about 8. Then we moved to Hong Kong and I did tap til I was about 17 then everything stopped.”
Nina has spent most of her career entertaining audiences on TV, with a big passion for comedy, so it’s no surprise she’s keen to bring an aspect of her comedy to the show.
“I will take it seriously but I need to have the comedy there in order to get through it because I can’t take the glitz and glamour side seriously. What I can take seriously from it is the actual technical stuff. I genuinely want to learn how to do these dances.
“I think I’ll have to be in character for each of these dances because if I don’t then it won’t be very good so whatever the theme of that week is, I’ll create a woman for that week.”
Surprisingly, one thing Nina isn’t looking forward to is the glitz and glamour of the show, admitting she’s more of a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl.
“I do get dressed up for things I have to do if it’s a TV appearance or if the character I play demands it, but for example when I played Zainab Masood in Eastenders I was like ‘don’t worry about hair and make up, just make Zainab as plain as possible’ because I don’t like sitting in the makeup chair for too long, and shiny things scratch and irritate me so this is the best show for me to do isn’t it really?”
When it comes to her professional partner, it’s so important for Nina that they have a good sense of humour and can have a good laugh. At the same time, she’d like someone who is able to push her, but she’s a little concerned she might struggle when it comes to stamina.
“I think I might be a bit of an annoying student. I don’t know if my stamina is going to be good enough cos everyone seems so fit. I saw John Whaite the other day getting his clothes on and I looked from the back and thought oh it’s a dancer but I didn’t know which one? And then I went oh it’s just John - has he been working out for this? Then Adam Peaty walks past - he’s buff as well. Everyone is working out and then there’s me a sack of potatoes and everyones like ‘we’re really getting into shape for this’ I'm thinking maybe I should be doing more than just wearing my shoes for 20 minutes a day!”
But is she in it to win it?
“Part of me wants to do the best I can do, but i’m also that type of person that wants to have fun doing it so i’d rather have a fun whatever weeks i get rather than a miserable run to the end so my aim is to entertain and enjoy every minute that i’m given by the audience.”
Nina on Eastenders
Nina became a regular on Eastenders back in 2007, where she played Zainab Masood until 2013. Her most challenging and famous storyline was when she played out the mental and physical abuse her character was suffering from her husband. The role was so different to many of the comedy roles she has played in the past, with many praising her for demonstrating her range as an actor.
The door hasn’t been fully closed on the character of Zainab, so we’re hoping that there could be a possibility of her returning to the soap in the future.
What else has Nina been in?
As well as Eastenders and Goodness Gracious me, Nina has also appeared in Open All Hours as well as the spin off show Still Open all Hours along with David Jason.
Who is Nina’s husband?
Nina is married to the composer, Raiomond Mirza. They first met in Canada and later married in July 1998. The pair have two grown up kids together - daughter Tina and son Aidan. Speaking about her husband and her Strictly journey, she said, “I feel for him because he’s in the business, he’s a composer and musician and unless he’s actually doing something, he doesn’t like sitting around for too long but he will absolutely come and support me.”
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