Strictly contestant actor Danny John-Jules has training thwarted when man 'strips off' and exposes himself at leisure centre

Actor Danny John Jules had to put off his Strictly training due to a police incident at a leisure centre
Twitter
Jacob Jarvis29 August 2018

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Danny John-Jules had his training regime “thwarted” after a man stripped naked in the pool of the gym he attends.

The 57-year-old actor, who starred in Red Dwarf and Death in Paradise, headed for a workout on Wednesday, to be greeted with a heavy police presence at Willseden Sports Centre in north London.

“So I just turned up to the go to the gym and this is what I was greeted with,” he said, before turning the camera to show a number of police vehicles, in a video on Twitter.

The centre he wished to attend was closed.

“Apparently there’s a geezer or someone holed up in the gym and there’s a hostage negotiator or something being called for.”

In a second video, shared at around 11.45am from outside the centre in Willesden, he said his preparations have been “thwarted”.

He captioned the video “going home to push ups [sic] and squats and a swim around the shower”.

“So my Strictly preparation has been thwarted by a man who has stripped off in the swimming pool.

“That’s right. One guy stripped off in the swimming pool. I thought I was at Notting Hill Carnival.”

The Met Police has confirmed it is in attendance at an incident at Willesden Sports Centre.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Police were called at 07:53hrs on Wednesday, 29 August to Willesden Sports Centre, following reports of a man exposing himself.

“The suspect, a 34-year-old man then jumped into the pool and threatened to harm officers and members of the public.

"All members of the public evacuated the pool and no one has suffered any injuries.

“Officers are concerned for the man’s mental health welfare and remain at the scene.

“The centre remains closed."

Steps singer Faye Tozer and Red Dwarf star Danny John-Jules were the second and third names confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2018 on The One show earlier this month.

John-Jules said he was terrified after finding out Tozer is his competition and told Matt Baker and Alex Jones he has never tried Latin or Ballroom.

He said: “It’s actually quite nerve wracking. When I walked in the first person I saw was Faye so I thought 'oh no, game over'.”

He added: “Having spent the last few months on two wheels motorcycling around South America in pink leathers, I’m absolutely delighted to be getting back on two feet and into something more comfortable like glittery spandex.”

Danny is most well-known for his role as Cat in sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf.

Danny John Jules will star in this year's Strictly Come Dancing
PA

Danny and his co-star Craig Charles are the only cast members to have appeared in every single episode.

He also starred as policeman Dwayne Myers in Caribbean crime drama, Death in Paradise.

He's no stranger to the big screen, either, having had roles in Sucker Punch, The Tournament and Little Shop of Horrors.

He also lent his voice to the David Bowie classic, Labyrinth.

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