BBC Strictly star Jamie Borthwick discovered distant relative on set in shock revelation

Strictly contestant Jamie Borthwick has been part of his soap for nearly two decades so its unsurprisingly his co-stars feel like family. He was still surprised to learn one cast member really is...

Jamie Borthwick won the Strictly 2023 Christmas Special and this season he's back to battle it out for the whole season's Glitterball Trophy.

The EastEnders star gained 23 points for his Viennese Waltz with professional partner Michelle Tsiakkas in week one of the show, dancing to the Benson Boone track Beautiful Things.

Jamie grew up on national television, playing Jay Brown in the soap since he was 12. He's now 30 and one of the most recognisable faces in Walford, with storylines ranging from drug addiction to covering up a grisly murder.

But one of the star's most shocking moments on the soap came offscreen when he learned he was related to another cast member.

The star's great-uncle shared the same name as Charlie Winter, who played Mel Owen's son Hunter on the show and the actors learned they were related.

Jamie told the Sun: "My great uncle is called Charlie Winter, so when they said there was a kid coming in called Charlie Winter, I was like: 'Seriously?' Turns out we are second cousins."

Jamie is so close to many of his co-stars they feel like family too and he counts Perry Fenwick, who plays Billy Mitchell, Emma Barton who plays Honey Mitchell and Steve McFadden, Phil Mitchell, among his best pals. Jamie was also close to the late Barbara Windsor.

The Carry On star, who played matriarch Peggy Mitchell on the soap, died in 2020 after battling dementia, aged 83. "Barbara was the first person I met on my first full day on 'Enders and she calmed me instantly as she did so many she'd met," said Jamie playing tribute to her at the time. "Barbara was a REAL star! Talent, professionalism and above humble in every way."

Jamie studied at the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School, whose past alumni include Spice Girl Emma Bunton. But acting wasn't his first love, he revealed in an on-set video in 2011.

"As a youngster, I was a really keen footballer and it was something I always wanted to do," said Jamie. "Then when I was 10, I got whisked off to theatre school. I made drama my focus and never really looked back."

The star won the Strictly Christmas Special last year with professional dancer Nancy Xu, scoring a perfect 40 points for their Quickstep to Merry Christmas Everyone. So while singer JB Gill topped the leader board with 32 points in week one of Strictly, Jamie has already had a taste of winning the reality TV show contest.

The star is bookies' fourth favourite to win the show, with JB, Tasha Ghouri and Shayne Ward ahead of him in the running.