Strictly Come Dancing 2014: Judy Murray 'struggling' to let Anton Du Beke lead

The tennis coach said she is not good at being told what to do

Sherna Noah
Tuesday 23 September 2014 13:10 BST
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Tennis player Andy Murray's mum Judy has been paired with Anton du Beke for Strictly Come Dancing. 'I'm absolutely delighted,' she said.
Tennis player Andy Murray's mum Judy has been paired with Anton du Beke for Strictly Come Dancing. 'I'm absolutely delighted,' she said.

Judy Murray has said she is “struggling” to let her Strictly Come Dancing partner Anton Du Beke take control on the dance floor.

The tennis coach, 55, is training for Friday's BBC1 show, which will see the celebrities compete live for the first time.

But Murray told Radio Times magazine that her aversion to having a man tell her what to do could hamper her chances of success.

“The hardest but most important thing I can do is to allow myself to be led by him (Du Beke),” she said.

“When I do, it's much easier and flows better. But so far I'm struggling to let him.

“Is it because I'm so used to being the teacher? Is it because I'm overthinking the steps? Or is it just the idea of a man telling me what to do - a few have tried in the past but, as you can imagine, I'm not good at being told what to do!”

Murray said that she had trouble remembering her steps.

“I think I'm suffering from amnesia. I can't remember the steps to my waltz from one hour to the next.

“Yesterday morning I managed to get through the whole sequence - a minor breakthrough - but by the time we'd finished lunch I couldn't remember a thing.”

According to bookies, Murray's chances of winning Strictly have dropped ever since her Wimbledon champion son Andy Murray came out in support of the Yes campaign for Scottish independence.

But the tennis coach, who is also mother to doubles player Jamie Murray, said that she wanted viewers to see her “sense of fun”.

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“When I've been on television in the past, I have always been in very stressful situations, often sitting in a box at Wimbledon, worrying about my boys,” she told the magazine.

“At the moment we are having an absolute riot, which is what I'm normally like.

“There is one part of the dance where I have to keep my face very close to his and he (Du Beke) always jokes, 'Look at me as if you want to kiss me!' That kills me. I collapse on the floor laughing every time.”

PA

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