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Ian Waite and Marius Iepure on the Break The Routine set WATCH ON YOUTUBE

1 SEP 2026 · 1 H 14

The Book Worth The Weight and Goodbye

with IAN WAITE

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About this episode

Strictly Come Dancing original professional Ian Waite joins Marius Iepure to trace his journey from a rugby-loving boy in Reading to European champion, TV fame, and FitSteps. Ian opens up about his parents' divorce sparking his love of dance, moving to the Netherlands, winning Dancing With The Stars Australia, and why entertaining the audience became his true judge.

A warm, funny, and honest conversation about reinvention, family, and making dance joyful and accessible.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Intro
  2. 00:41Mr Ian “Sixpack”
  3. 01:48Touring Together in Gran Canaria
  4. 02:39Winning Dancing With The Stars Australia
  5. 05:59A Full Circle BBC Comeback
  6. 07:09Inside the Legends Tour Banter
  7. 08:44Brendan Cole and Vincent Simone Chemistry
  8. 09:45Twenty Two Strictly Tours in One Year
  9. 10:36County School of Dancing Turns 70
  10. 11:47Mary Richardson and London Coaches
  11. 15:40Joining Strictly in the Early Days
  12. 17:26Blackpool Tower Final With Denise Lewis
  13. 18:40Dance After His Parents Divorced
  14. 19:51Inspired by Horst and Andrea
  15. 21:20From Rugby Boy to Dancer
  16. 23:10Moving to Holland With Natalia Panina
  17. 25:54A Time of Growth and Reinvention
  18. 27:34Meeting Camilla Dallerup at Blackpool
  19. 28:41Doors Closing and Opening
  20. 31:19How Mainstream Success Changed His Values

Reels from this episode

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New episode with Ian Waite 24.8k views · Instagram ↗
Still touring at 55, why not? 15.9k views · Instagram ↗
The only Strictly final held at Blackpool Tower 8.9k views · Instagram ↗
The nickname he refuses to reveal 4.4k views · Instagram ↗

Transcript

The full conversation, 701 passages

00:00

Dear listeners, welcome to break the routine. We have a very very special guest today. Uh he has one of the most recognizable name in dance sport um British ballroom and Latin dance from elite competitive in Latin America becoming an original strictly come dancing professional. He has helped bring dance to a much wider audience through television teaching, touring and fiteps. He's someone who has lived uh dance from the inside at the highest level, but also knows how to make it feel joyful, human, and accessible. Mr. Ian W.

00:43

You actually make me sound really important there. I I think Can you do when can you do do my eulogy when I die? That would be great. [laughter]

00:52

Come on. Come on. Going to live so long. You you look so good that you're you're just

00:57

I call you Mr. Ian Sixpack.

00:59

Well, some of my friends at Pickle Ball [laughter] Ian Ian Sixpack is good. My friends call me a vampire because [laughter] I I I never get old and I'm like you should come with me to

01:10

see me in 50 years time. [music]

01:17

Yeah. Ian, how are you?

01:19

I'm very well. Yes. Yeah. You know, it's the summer at the moment, so I've got my legs out. You're covering yours up.

Transcribed automatically from the episode audio, so some names may be misspelled. Tap a time to play that moment.