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Janette Manrara shares the one bit of advice fellow Strictly stars gave her before Chicago tour

Manrara currently stars as the one and only Roxie Hart on tour.

Janette Manrara on the red carpet smiling in a red dress

Jeff Spicer / Stringer via Getty

Published: Friday, 4 April 2025 at 12:49 pm

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It's always a dream for any fan base to find out your favourite stars get along well behind the scenes, so you can imagine our delight when we learned that this extended to the likes of Strictly Come Dancing.

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In fact, Janette Manrara – who currently stars in the touring UK production of Chicago – called the support from her Strictly co-stars "amazing", saying "I got so much love and excitement" after she was announced as the show's leading lady, Roxie Hart.

The pro dancer and It Takes Two host zoned in on one reaction in particular during an exclusive chat with RadioTimes.com that left her grinning.

"Joanne Clifton!" she laughed, "She’s just such a cheerleader. When I got announced for it, she literally was one of the first people to message me and she was screaming.

Joanne Clifton and Janette Manrara smiling together

Joanne Clifton and Janette Manrara. Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

"She sent me a voice note saying, 'You’re going to get the buzz, you’re going to get so inspired by it all,' she just felt so happy for me."

Manrara added: "Her advice was really just to embrace it, to dive into the world of musical theatre, because it’s just so different to Strictly."

The dancer also said that Joanne's brother Kevin Clifton was a huge help, having already been cast in the touring production alongside her as Billy Flynn. "He was offering help, offering to run lines, he was just so excited.

"Kevin and I have worked together for so many years – we’ve been friends for 15 years now – so to go from Strictly together to Chicago was so exciting because he’s such a good mate."

Clifton's tenure on the show as the sleazy Chicago lawyer has now ended and the role has been picked up by Dan Burton and Darren Day.

However, Manrara reiterated that she was learning so much from the entire tour cast.

Janette Manrara press shot for Chicago showing her in a black dress

Janette Manrara. Matt Crockett

"I'm learning how my vocal chords work, how I need to keep it going for eight shows a week, and I think every night I get a little better."

She said appearing in Chicago had been a lifelong dream, and playing Roxie especially was a treat for her acting and singing skills.

"My Roxie, although she's very naïve and very childlike in the way she dreams of Vaudeville, she’s a fighter and a survivor, and you need to be a little bit afraid of her. She’s so complex, and that’s what makes her such a wonderful role.

"What you've also got to remember is that this is a dangerous show. It’s about murder and alcohol and nightclubs, and it’s not a good place, and you’re dealing with murderous women – so it should never feel content.

"Every single night you're going to deliver a line differently, and you always need to be finding the buzz, finding the danger, which I love."

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Alongside her acting and singing progress, we of course couldn't resist asking about the dancing, but Manrara's answer may surprise you.

"I can’t really go to my normal Strictly Come Dancing style," she said: "The show, and the Hot Honey Rag in particular, has this iconic movement and iconic choreography which hasn’t been changed since the day they made it.

"It's not like it’s physically demanding, but it’s demanding and pressure in another way – it has to be exactly as it was 50 years ago, every finger! And Djalenga Scott (who plays Velma) and I have to be exactly the same."

But of course, as she says, that's all part of the fun.

Buy Chicago UK tour tickets at ATG Tickets

When and where can I see Janette Manrara in Chicago?

The Chicago UK tour has already kicked off, but Manrara is still on stage until August. Here are the dates:

Buy Chicago UK tour tickets at ATG Tickets

Make sure you also look at our Clueless review and how to get FA Cup Final tickets.

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Check out how to get Gladiators live tour tickets.

Authors

Olivia Garrett

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