Strictly star Graeme Hall reveals secret dance background and terrifying health crisis that forced him to quit ballroom

STRICTLY Come Dancing contestant Graeme Hall has revealed his surprise dance background – and the health crisis that forced him off the floor. The canine trainer, best known for Channel 5’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, has spoken for the first time about joining the BBC show as rehearsals begin. Graeme Hall twirling Strictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas after meeting her at BBC TV Centre in 2023 Credit: Instagram/ @dogfather.graeme Graeme training a puppy in 2021 on Channel 5’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Credit: Channel 5 His signing baffled fans, who immediately dismissed the 59-year-old as this year’s joke act, like politician Ed Balls and comedian Les Dennis in recent years. Graeme — nicknamed The Dogfather — said: “I’d done a local competition called Strictly Northampton in 2012 and loved it so much that I carried it on as a hobby. “I started taking part in regional events in church halls and community centres but I had to give up because I had a stroke in 2019.” Doctors found a hole in Graeme’s heart and rushed to operate. He added: “I was out of action for quite a while and I thought it had brought an end to my dancing. “I’m fine now but I had to put my dance bag away — now I’ve got it out of the loft and there’s all my kit and practice trousers so I will be using those soon. “But if you’d told me in 2019 that I was going to be taking part in the show I would have dismissed you as a fantasist.” Despite his prowess, Graeme realises that he might be lumbered with the odd comedy routine. He added: “‘I suspect I will do something dog-related at some point — they might put me in a dog costume for one of the dances. “I had a meeting in February, had a little dance about, and then heard nothing. “They’ve been drip-feeding the names of the celebrity contestants for a while and it got to the point where there were only a couple more to announce and I thought my chance had gone. “Then I got a call one evening from my agent saying: ‘I’ve got the most amazing news for you — you’ve got Strictly.’ It hasn’t really sunk in.” The celebrities will learn who will be their dance partner during the live launch show on September 26, and last week they met the professionals for the first time, taking part in chemistry sessions to see who suits them best. Graeme vowed: “I’m hoping I stay in the show as long as possible. “I don’t care which pro dancer I get because the bottom line is they are all brilliant. “There are not a lot of people in the world that have had the chance to do this. So I’m just going to love every minute and enjoy it for what it is. “The celebrities are all really nice people. It’s going to be great but it’s not going to be easy because actually, as far as I can tell, they are quite good at dancing.” Graeme is no stranger to the wider Strictly family, though. Graeme judging the dance competition in Northants with former show pro Flavia Cacace Credit: Instagram/ @dancewithflavia Dani Dyer will also be on the programme Credit: PA Last year he judged a dance contest in Brackley, Northants, with ex-pro Flavia Cacace, and he is pals with head judge Shirley Ballas after bumping into her her at BBC Television Centre in 2023. Graeme is part of a line-up which includes former Love Islanders Dani Dyer and Cach Mercer, Aussie pop star Delta Goodrem and footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips. But it’s fair to say the Yorkshireman, who now lives with his partner Nikki in Bicester, Oxon, isn’t your average Strictly celeb. Born in Selby, Graeme spent 20 years working in management for Weetabix before turning his hobby of dog training into a full-time profession in 2008. It wasn’t until 2017 that he became a TV personality when he featured in a one-off special called Dogs Behaving Badly on Channel 4. This led to C5’s full series, which has aired since 2019. In the show, Graeme helps dog owners manage their misbehaving pets and strengthen their bond. He has fronted C5’s The Dog Hospital With Graeme Hall — which also screens on CBC in Canada — and appears in an Australian version of Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly. Graeme writes a regular column for The Times and has penned four bestselling books on dog training Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Graeme’s career hasn’t been without drama and one naughty pooch almost cost him the use of his hand Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The dog whisperer is also a regular on ITV’s This Morning. On top of all that Graeme writes a regular column for The Times and has penned four bestselling books on dog training. His career hasn’t been without drama, though, and one naughty pooch almost cost him the use of his hand. He said: “A German Shepherd I went to see had been rehomed and was barking very aggressively. “They brought him in to see me and he just went for my left hand. He bit hard and at the same time the owner pulled on the lead. The effect was to rip my hand. “It was off to A&E. I ended up in the operating theatre. “The bites just missed a tendon and nerve and I nearly lost the full use of that hand. It was a close call. “That really made me think differently and I will now put a muzzle on the dog, but I still get little bites here and there.” He’ll be well ready to face Craig Revel Horwood’s bark, then.