Strictly Come Dancing star opens up on 'tough' moment after partner's exit

Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Jason Bell reminisced about the strong bond he formed with his dance partner, Luba Mushtuk, during their time on the show in 2020. Despite being eliminated early in season 18, Jason highlighted that their shared experiences have led to a lasting friendship.

Recently, Nick Knowles and Luba unfortunately had to withdraw from the 2024 series due to injury, yet Jason remains supportive of Luba. In an interview discussing his collaboration with Samsung on their American Football Jargon Buster aimed at UK fans, Jason commended Luba, saying: "Luba is my friend and she'll be my friend for life - she's a great person. I think what happens on that show is, if you're lucky enough to get a really good partner, it's like being on a team."

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Drawing parallels between the close relationships formed through sports and dancing, Bell elaborated on the intensity of connections built in high-stress situations: "I'm so close with my teammates because of what we went through on the field. And you never forget that. You talk about that. You remember 'that game and this happened...' Well, that's the same thing me and Luba can talk about."

Discussing the demanding practice sessions, he candidly admitted: "We can talk about how hard practice was and the things we had to overcome."

He recalled: "I always remind her of dances she had to literally drag me through. Because she would be like, 'You get really heavy.' I thought I was really light on my feet. She was like, 'No,' and I was like, 'Oh, I must have been nervous.' So, yeah, just a wonderful friendship based on a shared experience."

Jason also commented on Luba's early departure with Nick due to injury, saying: "Yeah, it's just tough. You want your people to do well."

He praised Luba's dedication, saying: "I know how great of a teacher she is, and in all honesty, she really cares about whoever her partner is and if they're performing well."

Jason also complimented the show, saying: "That's what she's into, and that's what most of them care about, so that's what makes it just a great show. People love it for a reason."

Reflecting on the experience, he said: "I mean, you're trying to accomplish something that's challenging, and you have help, and you have a partnership to get you through. And that's what we all want in life."

After leaving the show, Nick revealed that he needed two surgeries on his arm and leg due to injuries sustained during his time on Strictly, making him the third contestant to make an early exit. He thanked Luba, commenting: "Thank you all for your lovely messages of support! I'm sad for Luba as she had so many lovely dances planned, but there are wonderful dancers in Strictly this year, and with the injuries, I just couldn't keep up. I had the best time, met the best people and enjoyed every minute."

In the same interview, Jason was buzzing as he discussed his new guide designed to help those unfamiliar with American Football get to grips with the game.

He explained: "The British love their sports, but to understand your sports, you've got to know the rules, and Samsung has got some data together that shows over 60% of the public is struggling with knowing the rules."

"That's why we started the NFL Jargon Buster playbook, so we can give them some of the terminology so they can try to follow along."

"Sometimes the words and terminology will kind of just throw you off, so being able to understand what it all means will allow you to [get into it]."

"It's just like learning a new language. You've just got to build on each word at a time, and the next thing you know, you're speaking fluently."

To simplify the game for newcomers, he added: "For the main rules, you just have to think that the team's got four tries to move the ball 10 yards, and that's, in essence, what you're trying to do. It's as simple as that."

"Watch the quarterback - that's the key. Everything starts and ends with them, and really just move on from there. But keep watching and be patient with yourself."

"And then I would say, keep my Jargon Buster playbook right in front of you, in case something pops up. So, then you can say, 'Oh, I know exactly what that means! '" "But now is the time to really get involved, because this is when good football is starting to be played," he encouraged. Jason also identified his top two teams: legacy champions Kansas City Chiefs, and the Detroit Lions, who he described as "the underdogs".

Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight at 6.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.