Letitia: Very exciting, yeah! Gosh it's early isn't it?
Kate: I know! It's nice to have you here! Well, listen, while you get your breath back, shall we have a look at the stage version? (After clip) That was the theatre production currently on tour, pre-you. Have you started rehearsals yet?
Letitia: No, we start next month and I'm not gonna be wearing one of the cheerleading outfits either!
Ben: Awww!
Letitia: I know, damn it! But yeah, I start rehearsals next month. We open in June and finish in August so-
Kate: I'm quite surprised you haven't done musicals before, is that true?
Letitia: Well, the last one I did was Annie when I was thirteen, many moons ago!
Kate: Cos it seems like something you'd be good at!
Letitia: Well, the character I'm playing, Ms Darbus, is camp, theatrical, eccentric, everything I think that I am-
(shows promo pic)
Kate: There you are there!
Letitia: Yeah, that's camp isn't it yeah. It's just something that I've been wanting to do for ages so yeah, I'm just very delighted that they've given me the opportunity really.
Kate: Has this not come cos of Strictly Come Dancing - apparantly some people on that show were quite good! (Laughs at self with Ben) But you were really good, and do you think that that opened up a different way of looking at things for you?
Letitia: I mean, maybe. After doing the series, I went off and did the national tour and maybe it did y'know. I'm not sure. Maybe it did have something to do with it, but having played the arenas that we did on the tour and then working at the Hammersmith Apollo,which is what, a 3,500 seater... it's still gonna be quite frightening, but I think I've had a bit of prep now, having played the arenas.
Ben: When you did Strictly, when they suggested it to you, cos I know it's something Kate thought about very carefully though unfortunately, not carefully enough, in terms of what you're doing, did you ever expect it to be as time consuming and as difficult and as-
Kate: Hard!
Ben: -hard as it was?
Letitia: I thought it would be hard, as I'm sure you did Kate, but I didn't realise how much it would take out of your life really doesn't it? And I was actually saying about you earlier, having a baby as well and being up at this ungodly hour as well as rehearsals - I didn't have any of that and I found it really hard!
Ben: You must have taken a lot out of it in the end, the fact that you did so well and you managed to cope and you came out of it with a lot of credit.
Letitia: Well, I think being in the first dance off, which y'know was deeply humiliating -
Kate: In the first week?
Letitia: Yeah, the first week, it was awful. So yeah and then I got to the quarter finals in the end with the lovely Darren Bennett - and Anton for you y'know, you're just not worthy of your partner, they're just amazing.
Ben: Anton will love that you said that
Kate: Yeah he will
Kate & Letitia: (together) Morning Anton
Letitia: (laughs) They chorus!
Note: This interview was shown in two segments. Sadly, only this one is available to transcribe and it is not exact transcription as some parts I couldn't make out.
