Louise Redknapp wants to exit Strictly Come Dancing after week one due to stress
- Louise Redknapp competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 and finished in second place.
- She struggled with feelings of belittlement and inadequacy after her first performance.
- Ultimately, Redknapp overcame her initial fears and progressed to the final.
In 2016, UK singer Louise Redknapp competed on the BBC series Strictly Come Dancing, where she finished as the runner-up alongside her partner Kevin Clifton. Despite her overall success in the competition, Redknapp faced considerable stress and feelings of inadequacy compared to the other contestants, particularly the professional female dancers. She expressed these feelings openly, stating that after the first performance, she called her agent, asking to be withdrawn from the show due to her anxieties about her performance and the apparent confidence exuded by her fellow dancers. Struggling with self-doubt, Redknapp even suggested to her agent that they should fake an injury to achieve her desired exit from the show. Her experience highlighted the pressure faced by reality contestants and the toll it can take on their mental health, especially regarding confidence and competitiveness in the arts, which often magnifies personal insecurities.