BBC Strictly winner Alesha Dixon admits she's already 'rooting for' one celeb to win

Former Strictly Come Dancing champion Alesha Dixon has revealed which celebrity she is “rooting for” this year in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk and other Reach publications. The pop star, who is probably best known for being a long-term judge on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, has lifted the lid on who she hopes will lift the glitterball trophy in 2024.

Speaking about the BBC show in a wider chat about the new Media, Broadcast and Production T-level, Alesha admitted she already had her favourite picked out. Asked about who had impressed her so far this year, Alesha admitted: “You know, I haven’t seen this season yet.”

However, she then added: “I know that JB Gill is in it, though, so even though I haven’t seen it yet, I’m rooting for him!”

This comes as no surprise, as the Breathe Slow hitmaker was making waves with her solo career around the same time that boyband JLS shot to fame on The X Factor in 2008. The boyband features JB, as well as Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes and Oritsé Williams.

Since their time in the competition, various members of the group have been featured on plenty of other reality shows, with JB starring in ITV’s Dance Dance Dance, which was hosted by Alesha.

Elsewhere in the interview, Alesha opened up about her career in the entertainment industry and the new qualifications that will allow young people to do the same in a supportive environment.

The Boy Does Nothing singer has joined the T-team – a group of celebrities hailing T-levels as a game-changing qualification. Alesha is championing the brand-new Media, Broadcast and Production T-level, launched across England this September.

New stats show that 73% of people believe the routes and opportunities into the creative industries are closed off to many, while 86% of parents would feel more confident in their child pursuing a creative career if they knew more about the opportunities available.

Alesha branded the campaign “really exciting”, explaining: “Before I actually got into the entertainment industry, I wanted to be a teacher, and I absolutely love going into schools and speaking with young people.

“This campaign really spoke to me,” she continued, “So I've joined the T-team experts and we’re here to raise awareness on the benefits of T-levels for 16 to 19-year-olds.

“I would have loved something like this when I was younger,” Alesha admitted. “I think there's lots of stigma around working in Media and Broadcast and production. I think probably a lot of parents think that to get into media, it's about who you know rather than what you know.

“But T-levels really lift the lid on that - this is a bona fide way into the industry where your children can be hands-on, working on an industry placement with the employer, and learning real-life skills in the classroom that are then transferable to the real world. I just think it's a brilliant idea.”

Alesha added: “If you were a young person, knowing that you're going to be out there in the real world, working in an industry that you aspire to be in, it would be super exciting.

Pointing out that the qualification is also beneficial to employers, she noted: “And of course, these courses are tailor-made for what the employers need and want, so it's a completely bespoke qualification in that sense.”

She also spoke of her own experience when she started out in the entertainment industry, recalling: “I think it's important to inspire young people and give them options, because I just think people really see the entertainment industry as otherworldly. I know I did growing up; I thought it was Mars.

“I didn't even know it was possible to be in the entertainment industry, so I think we've got to lift the lid on that and show parents that there are steps you can take that will give you the confidence that your child is doing the right thing.

“Ultimately, it's about fulfilling a passion, and that's where my passion comes from. You get one life; you want to do something with your life that gives you satisfaction.”

I think a lot of people are nervous and fearful, so they maybe choose a safer route,” she reflected. “Or they don't go for their dreams because they're not sure that it's possible.

“So I think when it comes to the creative industries, we've got to encourage people to go for it, because I think a lot of people choose to walk away because they don’t know how how to go about it.

“But the creative industry so exciting!” she enthused. “There are so many options and so many jobs available for young people. I always come from the viewpoint of being passionate about the creative industries, being passionate about young people and showing them what's possible.”

Parents can find more information and access free resources by visiting the T-level info website at: www.tlevelinfo.org.uk 

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.20pm on BBC and BBC iPlayer.