Melvin Odoom, who is known for his work on the Kiss 100 radio breakfast show and BBC Radio 1, spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about his experience on Strictly Come Dancing.
The 42-year-old presenter, who competed alongside dance partner Janette Manrara in the 2016 series, finished dead last after receiving the fewest votes from viewers.
Despite being “disheartened” by his early exit, Melvin returned to the BBC show later that same year to take part in the Christmas special, where he and Janette ended up in first place.
Melvin, who has teamed up with car company Motorpoint to celebrate its 25th anniversary, has since described his whirlwind experience in the dance competition.
Asked about his return to Strictly, the star admitted: “You know what? I nearly didn’t do it. I nearly didn’t do it the second time round because I was so disheartened when I came out that first round.
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“No one wants to come out in the first week. And it was so sad because my mum’s a big fan of Strictly, so it was like ‘I’ve let mum down’, but more so I felt like I let Janette down.
“She put so much work into me, she was so patient and what people don’t realise is that if you’re out, your pro dance partners only get to do the group dances or the dances with celebrity acts.
“They can’t do anything with you because you’re not there. So that’s kind of like their month done. So when I came out, I felt really like my confidence was knocked.”
However, in an expected twist, Melvin found himself on the phone with BBC bosses asking him to make a surprise return to the show that Christmas.
He recalled: “The BBC called me back and they were like, ‘Melvin, do you wanna come back?’ And I was like, ‘I need to think about it.’
Melvin went on to explain how he had called his sister, who is actress Yonah Odoom, who gave him some much-needed encouragement.
He remembered: “I told her they wanted me to come back and do the Christmas special and I said, ‘I’m not too sure because I don’t want to fail again. I do not like the idea of failing.’ But she was like, ‘Melvin, you’ve got to do it!’”
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When Melviin asked his sister why she thought he should put himself through the gruelling process of Strictly training again, she simply replied: “Because you’re my brother and I know you’ll do well.”
Melvin continued: “She believed in me so much that I call called the BBC up and told them I’d do it.”
From there, the star put his all into rehearsals with Janette, as the pair practiced their Charleston on repeat for days on end.
Melvin’s sister also made sure her brother was ready to face the competition once more by practicing with him every night after rehearsals had finished.
Speaking about his Christmas win, Melvin admitted: “No one thought I would do well because when I invited my family round for Christmas, they were like, ‘Oh here we go. Melvin’s about to do another dance competition!’
“And they were all sitting here silently, so when they announced the winners, you’ve never heard a noisier house. It was crazy. Everyone screaming, jumping, kids running around…
“My dad ran upstairs and grabbed the trophy, because he came to the show and knew it was happening. It was just a great vibe. So yeah I’ve got a very, very special place in my heart for Strictly.”
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Elsewhere in the interview, Melvin spoke all about his work with car company Motorpoint.
New research of UK drivers has named multiple airbags, GPS satellite navigation and reversing cameras among the most significant developments in automotive history.
A study of 2,000 adults with a driving licence by Motorpoint found three in 10 could not live without the gadgetry in their car, with other popular inventions including power steering and parking sensors.
Motorists also named the introduction of hybrid and electric vehicles as game-changing, while others welcomed adaptive cruise control and auto-defrosting windshields.
The research was commissioned by Motorpoint to celebrate its 25th anniversary, during which time it has sold over a million vehicles since opening its first store in Derby and now has 19 stores across the UK.
To mark a quarter of a century, Motorpoint has partnered with Melvin and put him to the ultimate ‘Motormind’ automotive knowledge test, where he scored a respectable six out 10.
Melvin is working with Motorpoint to celebrate the nearly new car retailer’s 25th anniversary.
Think you can take on ‘Motormind Melvin’? Take the quiz here.
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