Strictly Come Dancing contestant Tyler West has revealed he is flying to Mauritius for a wedding for only nine hours in order to make it back in time for dance rehearsals.
The 26-year-old radio DJ is taking part in the BBC One programme with Strictly professional Dianne Buswell.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, West explained his flying visit, saying: “I think I’ve put my body through the paces and then I thought, Lewis, my brother, I’m the best man for his wedding, so I’m flying to Mauritius for, I think, about nine hours.”
Can you imagine taking on the gruelling Strictly Come Dancing schedule and the London Marathon all in one week?! 🤯
Ahead of their performance tomorrow night, DJ Tyler West and his professional partner Dianne tell #BBCBreakfast how training is going💃🕺 pic.twitter.com/lkYqBrWmbP
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) October 7, 2022
He jokingly added: “So, yeah, I kept the schedule light this year!”
West is keeping a particularly busy schedule while taking part in the show, having also ran the London Marathon on Sunday.
With Buswell, 33, cheering him on from the sidelines, West completed the road race in aid of national youth work charity UK Youth, which works to provide opportunities to young people in the UK.
Telling Breakfast presenters Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty about getting back to Strictly rehearsals while trying to recover from the marathon, West said: “I don’t have the methods or the strategy to it, I just did it.
“I just firmed it, absolutely woke up and firmed it.
“My body has been a bit of a slow one this week, I’ve obviously had to have time to recover and just be smart with how we’re training and stuff.
“But I’ll tell you what – once-in-a-lifetime experience, just a crazy weekend.”
Less than 24 hours before running the marathon, West was competing in the Strictly Come Dancing live show on BBC One during which he and Buswell performed a theatrical routine dancing the jive to Hit The Road Jack by Buster Poindexter.
The jive earned the pair a score of 31 and secured West a standing ovation from head judge Shirley Ballas, who said: “You’re the real deal. You bring something you can’t teach.
“You’ve got an attitude, you’ve got a soul… I flippin’ loved it.”
On Saturday, West will be back on the dancefloor to perform the Charleston as part of movie week.
Buswell revealed she was initially concerned for West given his need to recover following the marathon but was later reassured after seeing his progress.
She said: “The first few days I was slightly worried.
“I thought, ‘oh my goodness we are doing a Charleston’, which is one of the fastest dancers and one of the most energetic dancers, and obviously Tyler was feeling quite sore and quite sorry for himself.
“But I must say he has given his all this week and despite feeling a little bit under the weather we could say, he’s really pulled through and I couldn’t be prouder of him.”