Angellica Bell teases Strictly involvement: “I’d love to be a part of it”

Admitting conversations have been had with the show, which has seen model Daisy Lowe, ex-MP Ed Balls and presenter Naga Munchetty among those confirmed, Bell says the draw is that she’d learn something from taking part.

“I’ve never danced before, I’ve never had any training and it’s a great show. It’s just fun isn’t it? It’s exciting.

“The dresses might scare me a bit,” she adds, joking that while she’s on TV she actually isn’t all that keen on being the center of attention. “It’s quite full on, but it’d be very exciting.”

As for the cast, Bell is excited to see Louise Redknapp – “she’ll be really good” – and already has somewhat of an ‘ice-breaker’ connection with Will Young, who she thinks will be “brilliant”.

“When I was expecting, I listened to Will Young’s album and the song Jealousy was on my playlist when I was giving birth.”

It won't be a family affair in the ballroom however, as Bell jokes her husband Michael Underwood won't be signing up in a hurry.

"No he would never do Strictly. He broke his ankle on Dancing On Ice [he pulled out in 2008 due to the injury and returned in 2009]. I mean, he’d probably go on Strictly and break his foot or something. He’s a liability, no he wouldn’t do it."

Bell’s certainly not afraid of a challenge, though. Speaking to us ahead of Channel 5’s Tour de Celeb, which sees famous faces tackle a (notably tough) stage of the Tour de France, Bell reveals she’d never actually ridden a bike before taking part.

“[Channel 5] asked me to do it. I think they knew I’d never ridden a bike before. My parents never bought me bike and I’ve never bought myself a bike, so it was one of those things where I just thought ‘Hmmm… interesting’,” Bell laughs.

“I think because I did 71 Degrees North [ITV’s tough arctic-based 2011 reality show, which saw Bell finish runner up to Rav Wilding] that’s quite ‘gung ho’ and ‘go for it’, maybe they thought I’d be quite good at it!”

Admitting she was keen to learn so she could ride with her children (who are hoping for bikes this Christmas) Bell said it’s not been without its difficulties.

“I didn’t even have a chance to do stabilisers,” she laughs at the suggestion that that’s how she might have kicked things off. “They just gave me a road bike and told me to get on with it. I mean I fall over all the time. It’s really quite emotional and stressful.

“I just thought people just hopped on a bike and went, but it’s the gears you’ve got to think about, clipping in… that was a really weird concept for me to grasp - being attached to a bike. I fell over loads of times with that.

But despite the falls, Bell's enjoyed the challenge.

“It was good. It felt good. I can stay on a bike now!”

She’s stuck with it too and will take part in the 220-mile Rapha Manchester to London charity ride next month, raising money for Ambitious About Autism.

“It will be challenging, it will be really difficult, but at the end of the day it’s raising money for a great cause and that’s the main thing,” Bell said, explaining she’s seen how difficult it can be and how vital support for the charity’s work is.

Mindful not to get caught out when we tease it’ll be a busy year what with that and Strictly, Bell coolly replies: “Maybe..!”