Layton Williams on Strictly 2023: ‘Hopefully it’ll be a slay’
"I feel like the best way for me to represent the community is [to] just be 100% authentically myself"
Layton Williams has said he hopes to do the LGBTQ+ community proud when he takes to the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor.
The Bad Education actor was announced as part of the Strictly class of 2023 in August.
He’ll be joined by the likes of entertainer Les Dennis, presenter Angela Scanlon, and Love Island’s Zara McDermott.
Speaking to Attitude at the Strictly 2023 launch Layton discussed representing the LGBTQ+ community.
“I love it. I feel like the best way for me to represent the community is [to] just be 100% authentically myself.
“Whether that’s how I dance, how I move, just being me. How I represent in the real world, I want to bring to Strictly.
“That’s what it’s all about: being yourself and having a good time while I’m doing it. I’m proud, I hope to do y’all proud, my queens, my gurls. And yeah, hopefully it’ll be a slay.”
Layton has previously said he’s excited to dance with a man. Posting on Instagram earlier this month, Layton said he was happy with his pro-partner.
Layton joins a growing list of LGBTQ+ stars on the BBC reality show. Last year there was the BBC’s Richie Anderson and before that Bake Off‘s John Whaite.
Whaite made it to the Grand Final with his pro-partner Johannes Radebe. The two were the first all-male competing couple and both identified as gay.
Ultimately, they were outstepped to the Glitterball trophy by Eastenders’ Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice.
Before that Olympic boxer Nicola Adams made history as half of the first same-sex act to compete on the show with dancer Katya Jones. Sadly, they bowed out in 2020 due to Covid-19.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and the BBC iPlayer on Saturday 16 September at 6:35pm