Stacey Dooley has spoken about returning to the Strictly Come Dancing studio and reuniting with make-up artist Lisa Armstrong for the new series of her BBC Three show.
The former Strictly champion said she has a great deal of admiration for Armstrong, who was formerly married to Ant McPartlin, because of the career she has forged for herself on such a big show.
Discussing holding a challenge for her make-up competition show Glow Up at the studio where the dancing competition is filmed, Dooley said: “It was brilliant. The challenge was with Lisa Armstrong, I know her from when I did Strictly of course – but prior to that we did shoots for Children In Need and stuff like that.
“I really admire Lisa because she has really carved out this magnificent career for herself and she has all of these girls working for her who aren’t particularly ‘TV’.
“I don’t think they’ll mind me saying that – they’re not all middle class, they are just normal talented girls that now run the biggest entertainment show on television. I think that’s really cool. It was lovely to be back there.”
Despite the show returning for a second series, Dooley said she is still “pretty terrible” at her own make up, adding: “I’ve always been quite useless at make-up. I’m not talented at all and I suppose that’s why I’ve got such admiration for these kids, they’re able to kind of do these extraordinary things and I mean it is hard isn’t it?!
“I spend so much time with the MUAs (make-up artists) and I have fun with them. I come in in the morning and they’re like ‘oooh she’s gone for a darker shimmer’ or they’ll be like ‘oooh you’ve gone for a glossy lid today Stacey.’
“They take the mick because they know I’m not very good!”
The show, judged by Val Garland and Dominic Skinner, sees 10 budding make-up artists take on weekly challenges in a battle to become Britain’s next make-up star and win a contract assisting some of the world’s leading make-up artists, and Dooley said she is proud of the opportunities it offers.
She said: “Obviously the tone of it is different to what I’m used to working on, but the MUAs are so talented. They’re kids who might not be given this opportunity otherwise.
“And so naturally, sort of instinctively, you’re behind them and you’re on their side. It’s my job to make sure they feel comfortable and supported.
“I think that’s what Glow Up does very well, even though there are elements of reality television, it’s not done in bad taste.
“It’s very much a sense of camaraderie and I think that was really important to all of us. It’s gutting when one of them leaves because you know how much it means to them – but it’s such a great platform.”
The second series of BBC Three’s Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make Up Star will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 7pm on May 14, with new episodes weekly.
