Ed Balls' Shakespeare-themed Strictly code name revealed
The ex-MP has been going by the name of a rather famous politician ahead of his ballroom unveiling
As former Labour Shadow Councillor Ed Balls is unveiled as the first Strictly Come Dancing contestant of 2016 we've done some digging to find out what code name he's been going by.
Ballroom bosses do the same each year, giving each contestant a funky new name in the hope of keeping their part in the show under wraps.
Last year it was Disney characters. They get cabs booked under these names, rehearsals, medicals etc. OK, so it didn't exactly work with Balls. His name was leaked already. But he's still had a pretty cool name: Cicero.
Yes, this year's Strictly code names will be using a William Shakespeare theme, and Balls was given the name of the Roman politician in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.
It's a fitting one for ex-MP Balls, of course. As well as politics, Cicero boasted skills as a philosopher, lawyer, orator, political theorist... before meeting his end following the fall of his political master.
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Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC1 later this year
