Strictly Come Dancing’s Danny Mac suffers panic attacks before live shows

The actor said the pressure to perform each week leaves him with sleepless nights
Pressure: Danny Mac with Oti Mabuse
BBC/Kieron McCarron
Emma Powell30 November 2016
The Weekender

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Strictly Come Dancing star Danny Mac has opened up about the crippling panic attacks he suffers ahead of the live shows each weekend.

Mac – who scored 40 points for a second consecutive week on Saturday – said the pressure of performing on TV is “exhausting” and giving him sleepless nights.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror he said: “I’ve had anxiety attacks. I’ve panicked like I have never panicked in my life.

“It’s strange to be woken up in the middle of the night. It’s going through my head all the time. It’s exhausting.

BBC

“You start to think 10 million people are watching. You’d never get that even in the biggest arena in the world. So you’re very aware of how big it is.”

But despite the pre-show nerves, Mac said he is enjoying every minute of being on the show because he has “dreamed” of being able to dance like a professional since he was a child.

“I’m loving it,” he said. “It’s probably one of the most enjoyable things I have done in my life, one of the greatest experiences.

“I’ve been dreaming of being able to dance like this since I was a kid – but it’s only ever been an idea in my head.”

Mac’s comments come days after he wowed the judges with his Samba to Magalenha by Sergio Mendes with partner Oti Mabuse.

Darcey Bussell said: "To achieve that in one week! It was like the perfect samba masterclass."

Resident Mr Nasty Craig Revel Horwood added: “Your hip action, which we never get from a male celebrity, was incredible. Absolutely excellent.”

The performance saw Mac enter the history books as the first contestant ever to score full marks for a Samba.

Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One on Saturday at 7pm.

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