Strictly contestants point to Christian faith

Two contestants in the BBC TV programme Strictly Come Dancing have pointed to their Christian faith in various ways as the popular Saturday night series goes on.

Well-known news and sport TV presenter Dan Walker has stuck with keeping Sunday special. The Daily Mirror reported: ‘The BBC Breakfast presenter, 44, will be taking Sundays off for religious reasons due to his devout Christian faith. Dan, who is partnered up with professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova, will be using his day off to “gain perspective” on his scores and performances of the night before.’

The paper added: ‘Throughout his entire journalistic career, Dan has always prioritised his faith.’

Strictly also went live to a party being hosted by Poynton Baptist Church, the congregation of CBBC presenter and Christian believer Rhys Stephenson (see photo). He has previously written for Scripture Union and the Evangelical Alliance describing how he ‘grew up in a Christian household with a powerful, God-fearing woman’ and praised SU’s initiative in holding Light Parties as an alternative to Halloween, saying he hoped it would be ‘another way to invite more to hear the message of Jesus’.

Speaking on Strictly, Stephenson said: ‘My family and I are Christians and that has been an integral part of who we are. When everything has changed, my faith has always remained the same.’ On Instagram, Stephenson gave special mention to those ‘who felt empowered [by] me talking about my faith’.