Lawrence Robb Admits He Has Minimal Dance Experience, Ready to Challenge Himself on Strictly Come Dancing

Emmerdale soap actor Lawrence Robb insists his dance experience will not be an advantage when he competes on Strictly Come Dancing. The 34-year-old admits he has only a "little bit of dance background", which is not enough to handle the demands of Latin and ballroom dancing.

In an interview with Radio Times magazine, Robb explained that his background as a graduate of The Dance School of Scotland and his involvement in several musical theatre productions did not automatically make him confident. "I can give you a solid step click, that's it. For Latin and ballroom, absolutely not," he said. He added that his partner, Jowita Przysta, will have to work extra hard to help him adapt.

Robb was paired with Przysta at last weekend's launch show. Even so, he admits he has not fully grasped the scale of the competition he is about to take on. "So much is happening in a short space of time, so the feeling of being overwhelmed is still very much there," he said.

Meanwhile, Robb declined to give details about the reduction in his Emmerdale role while he takes part in Strictly. His character, Mackenzie Boyd, will appear less on screen. "We won't discuss storylines, but you won't see Mackenzie as often as usual while I'm in the ballroom," he teased.

The remarks came after his co-star Emma Atkins, who plays Charity Dingle, revealed that Robb was written out of the story at short notice after receiving the call from Strictly. "We were filming a scene where he has to go off to do that because he's just got the phone call, and they wrote him out very quickly," Atkins told The Sun.

"He has rhythm and I think he will go on a journey and get better, better and better. He's quite nervous at first. It's good to be nervous, it means he cares."

— Emma Atkins, co-star on Emmerdale

Atkins also said Robb will have to "work hard and dance his socks off". She admitted she will miss Robb's presence on set. "I love him and he's part of my furniture at work. We're a team, so now it's like 'where's my wingman gone?'" she said.

Robb's involvement in Strictly Come Dancing highlights a common phenomenon in the British entertainment industry, where soap actors often take leave to appear on reality competitions to raise their public profile. However, the decision also risks disrupting established storylines, as happened with the character Mackenzie Boyd.

For Indonesian viewers, this dynamic is similar to what happens in local soaps when a lead actor takes on another project. Even so, Strictly Come Dancing remains one of the most popular shows in the UK, with high ratings and a significant impact on the careers of its participants. Will Robb be able to prove that his minimal dance experience is not an obstacle, or will it be the opposite? The public will be waiting for his performance on the ballroom stage.