Why are you taking part in Strictly this year?

I am taking part in Strictly partly because I am a huge fan of the show. I think it is the nicest show on television, I am obsessed with watching it and to do a show you love so much is a beautiful thing. I also really want to learn how to dance and I want to be in a pretty frock and high heels. It’s so different from my everyday life that I think it’s important to challenge yourself and this is probably the greatest challenge I’ll ever have in my life.

Have you got any previous dance experience?

As part of any Scottish school girls’ education, they do something called social dancing in a gym, so I learnt the Gay Gordons, the Military Two Step, Strip the Willow and that is it. I am not known for my dancing, I’m not good at it and I only do it if I have had a couple of sherries. It’s fair to say I have the dance within me, it just doesn’t know how to get out!

What are you looking for in a dance partner?

All of the dancers are wonderful, no question at all. Because I am slightly shorter of stature, I think it would be quite good if they weren’t enormously tall so it doesn’t look utterly silly but to be honest with you, they’re all absolutely brilliant so whoever I get will be glorious.

Have you been given any advice from previous contestants?

I am going to contact my friend Carol Kirkwood and I’m going to hang around Judy Murray’s house and see if she can tell me anything. I’m going into this absolutely as a non-dancer who has no idea what’s going to happen and I’m just going to try and enjoy it.

Strictly Come Dancing starts its fifteenth series on BBC1 on Saturday September 9.

Interview supplied by the BBC Press Office.