Olympic rower James Cracknell has revealed his Strictly Come Dancing dreams “nearly came to an end” after he was involved in a road accident while cycling.
James is one of 15 celebrities who have signed up to hit the Strictly dance-floor later this year, alongside soap actors Emma Barton and Catherine Tyldesley, Made In
Chelsea star Jamie Laing and RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage.
However, he told his
Twitter followers on Wednesday morning that he’d been involved in an altercation that could have cost him his spot on the show, or worse.“I spent a year riding round Cambridge on a bike and it wasn’t a good day for Jake the Snake, the bike that saw me through Cambridge,” he explained in a Twitter video. “Or me as my
Strictly Come Dancing dreams nearly came to an end when I had an altercation with a minicab driver in London.”
James continued: “It was nobody’s fault really. Bit of a bust finger, some road rash on my back, but OK. Good thing was there was no street furniture around for me to fall into, I was also wearing a helmet and I wasn’t listening to
music so I could concentrate and I was focused on what was ahead.”Slight wobble - literally - in my @bbcstrictly preparations. Luckily only a bit of road rash and damaged ego - but I need to get ready for the latter. #daddancing#sharetheroadpic.twitter.com/eN9KgvNsjF— James Cracknell (@jamescracknell) August 14, 2019The gold medalist – who was left with a brain injury after an accident on his bike in 2010 – added: “And that’s the important thing to remember cycling, or riding a motorbike or driving around town; it’s OK if you concentrate on what you are doing and are absolutely focused.
“I now have switched my focus [from] riding a bike, and in fact doing anything else, to learning how to dance and, to be honest I’ve got more chance of winning the Tour de
France than Strictly Come Dancing. But in for a penny...”
James was left with a fractured skull after a near-fatal road accident in
Arizona, while attempting to cycle, row, run and swim from
Los Angeles to
New York in record time.
His injury left him with epilepsy, as well as changes to his personality, and he has since been a huge advocate for wearing cycling helmets.
Also joining him on Strictly this year will be comedian Chris Ramsey,
YouTube vlogger Saffron Barker former footballers David James and Alex Scott.
Check out the full line-up below...MORE STRICTLY... Strictly Come Dancing Star Jamie Laing's Girlfriend Addresses Early 'Curse' Reports Strictly Star Emma Barton Previously Said She Had 'Too Much Experience' For Show This Year's Strictly Line-Up Is Facing Some Criticism, But It's Also Their Most Racially Diverse Ever