Strictly's Graeme Hall believed 'dancing days were over' after suffering life-threatening stroke


Strictly Come Dancing’s Graeme Hall revealed that he thought his “dancing days were over” after suffering a stroke in 2019.
The Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly star discovered he had a love for dancing and started competing in local competitions in 2012.
However, he had to stop when he suffered a stroke caused by a hole in the heart.

“Until Strictly, I hadn’t danced at all. I thought my dancing days were over and that was it.
“But here I am!” he beamed.
On Saturday’s episode of the hit BBC show, the 59-year-old and his partner Lauren Oakley performed their Couple’s Choice routine to The Book of Love by Peter Gabriel.

The performance, which earned them a combined score of 28, was dedicated to “hope” after Hall's personal experience of surviving a stroke.
In a VT ahead of the routine, Hall explained that he was watching TV when he heard a “buzzing” in his ear. When he went to stand up, he fell over and was rushed to hospital.
Following the routine, Hall appeared visibly moved and was consoled by Oakley as well as hosts Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe.

"I had goosebumps at the end of that, so I can only imagine how you two are feeling because that was just so beautiful, Graham," Widdicombe told the star.
Speaking to Johannes Radebe minutes later, he reflected on the moving routine: “Well when you dance something like that, it’s really hard to describe the feeling.
“It’s just uplifting and my hope is that it uplifts a few other people.”
Hall told The Standard that he views every day in his Strictly experience as “another day in paradise” as he relives his passion of dancing once more.
“I’m living the dream every day.”
