The Strictly Come Dancing 2014 final takes place tomorrow night and if you looked up the definition of underdog in the dictionary youād likely see a picture of Mark Wright.
The TV and radio personality has had a rollercoaster ride in the competition but heās easily the most improved over the course of the series. Credit has to go to his pro partner Karen Hauer who has turned him from Marky No Moves to a real dancer.
After the shock of making it through to the final had sunk in, we caught up with Karen to talk about being a finalist, discuss that judge-dividing Rumba, and to find out how proud of Mark she is.
Congratulations on making the final!
(laughs) Thereās definitely somebody looking out for us. Iām seriously absolutely speechless but at the same time I canāt even explain how happy we are and how proud I am of Mark to have made it this far. Weāve basically completed every single dance and have gone through with the help of the public. Itās definitely been a battle for us to get to the final and weāve fought to stay in the competition because it means so much to us.
The semi-final was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for you wasnāt it?
Absolutely! Going into that dance-off against Jake and Janette was the toughest dance-off weāve ever had to do. Janette is one of my best friends, and Jake and Mark get along really well. They are such a strong couple and from their body of work theyāve been phenomenal from day one. It was just very, very emotional for everybody.
For us we had to stick to our guns and pick our Rumba. We took a huge gamble and we thought that if we were going to go out then weād go out doing a dance we both loved and meant a lot to us. We thought we would go out on a good note but we got saved. We were saved by Len who wasnāt so keen on our Rumba but apparently something in him, or the way we danced it, inspired him and changed his mind. I feel so blessed and really, really humbled and absolutely happy to be amongst the finalists. The other three couples left are absolutely brilliant and have been from the start, then thereās Mark and I who have been chugging along and kept up with them, and here we are in the final.
Did you expect the split reaction you got for your Rumba?
Dancing a Rumba is one of the toughest things, especially for the male celebs, and I wanted to bring something new, something different and something fresh. I wanted to bring a positive light to the Rumba. Yes, I could have been an extra two technical steps in it that would have been more recognised but I had to really go with my gut instinct as a choreography and with the beautiful music I was given. Mark got into this dance emotionally and physically that I felt no matter what I did I had to do that dance justice and I wanted it to be beautiful. I felt that it was and I felt that Mark did an absolutely brilliant job showcasing it with his emotion and his beautiful lines.
Craig loved it, which I was absolutely over the moon with. I was a bit upset but at the same time I had to go with my heart, and go with what I as a professional dancer love to do and love to choreograph to. I took a gamble and thank God that gamble paid off.
If youāre not going to take a gamble in the semi-final, when are you going to take one?
Absolutely! I agree. I had to give them a show and a performance. If I had just given them technical steps it would have just been a Rumba and it wouldnāt have been a dance that people were still talking about or that the judges would have been split on. I wasnāt doing it for the controversy or anything like that, I delivered something that I was thought was special and just for Mark.
We loved your Rumba. It was sad to see you so upset after youād performed itā¦
It really did hurt. We worked really hard and weāre constantly thinking of new things to come up with and ideas. Mark worked really harder and as dancers weāre always thinking of new things. It did really hurt but you know what, this career is not easy. I take my punches really well and I have a pretty thick skin. That day that Rumba had a real soft spot for me.
The final is only two days away. You may be dancing three dances and the details of your showdance and your favourite dance of the series have been revealed. For your favourite youāre going to do your Samba. Whatās it been like slipping back into the Samba?
Oh it was great! We loved that dance. We feel like the three dances weāll be doing are just a celebration of our journey and coming back to these dances is just incredible. I just want people to see Markās enjoyment and his improvement throughout these dances. I want them to see the sheer joy of being in the final because this is a celebration for us. No matter what happens weāre thrilled to be in the final. Itās great coming back to these dances because I can see the way that heās analysing and going through every step with the knowledge that he knows now. Heās finishing his lines, heās fixing his fingers and heās listening to what the judges have said. Heās really taking on every detail and of course not forgetting the performance aspect and delivering a good show for everybody at home.
People are saying that Mark is the most improved and has gone on the biggest journey during the series. Would you agree with that?
Heās definitely had his ups-and-downs. Simon has been in the dance-off three times and Caroline has been in a dance-off. Frankie is the only one who hasnāt been in a dance-off. All three of them have been brilliant from the start and we admire them. Mark has really gone from being Superman to doing an American Smooth where his arms were stiff and robotic to slowly understanding and finding the knowledge of dance and getting that through his system. Heās slowly become a dancer and found that confidence in himself by battling through. Weāve ticked every box you can possibly think of; weāve cried plenty, weāve been in the dance-off and weāve had to fight our way to the final. I think that was the most-intense dance-off and our most intense moment. We literally broke down at the end when we found out we were in the final. Mark is the definition of an underdog I have to say.
You even had Kevin crying as the result was announcedā¦
Kevin was in tears once we started our Rumba. Once we got through everyone was crying and happy but obviously upset for Jake and Janette. At the same time it was just a celebration because the unexpected happened. We all deserved to be in the final but we never really thought about making it this far. Itās happened and weāre just so thrilled.
Does it make it that bit extra special that you have Kevin in the final with you as well?
Yes definitely. Theyāve been favourites from the beginning which is great so itās really nice to have their, and everybodyās, support. We havenāt had much time to talk about it because weāve been really, really busy but weāre really happy to be in it together. A lot of people ask if weāre competitive against each other but weāve both been on completely different journeys. The point of view of both of our celebrities is different but itās still the same job and itās still the same hard work. Iām really, really happy to be in there and be called a finalist with my fiancĆ©. I think weāre the first couple ever to make it together to the final so thatās really nice.
On a personal note though it must be nice for you this series as this is the furthest youāve reached in the competitionā¦
Yeah! Itās the first time Iāve made the final. Itās an amazing achievement and Iām just really proud that I got a partner who is really brilliant in every aspect. He started from nothing and has pushed through wanting to learn and wanting to learn my craft. Itās a great achievement and it feels absolutely amazing to be a finalist. I still canāt even believe it. Itās the final tomorrow and Iām still going āoh my God weāre actually going to be in the finalā.
Strictly Come Dancing 2014ās grand final starts at 6.30pm tomorrow on BBC One. Watch Karen and Markās Rumba from the semi-final below: