George Clarke is the Strictly people’s favourite: YouTuber is desperate to do his mother proud as she fights breast cancer

by

As all Strictly fans know, the rhumba is a dance of sheer emotional power.

No contestant has ever seemed more moved than YouTuber George Clarke during week eight of the show. His performance wasn’t just energetic, but deeply personal – he described his dance as a tribute to his family, and especially to his mother, Nicky.

The heartfelt message moved his parents to tears in the audience, and Clarke himself became emotional when he shared that Nicky was fighting breast cancer.

He told his dance partner, Alexis Warr, that while no one deserves such hardship, she especially didn’t deserve it.

He was clearly struggling with intense emotions, but it was at that moment – as a 26-year-old influencer from Bristol – that he gained a whole new group of followers.

Before this recent attention, Clarke wasn’t well known to people over 30. The majority of his large online following – over 2.4 million on TikTok, 843,000 on Instagram, and 640,000 on YouTube – weren’t from traditional, middle-class backgrounds. However, he’s become incredibly popular with younger audiences, largely due to his hit podcast, Useless Hotline, where he and his friend Max Balegde playfully answer all sorts of questions and problems – no matter how strange or personal.

It’s clear why the producers of Strictly Come Dancing are hoping George, who was privately educated and is popular with young people online, can breathe new life into the show, which has started to feel stale and attract negativity. He’s become a surprising frontrunner for tomorrow’s final, and viewers particularly like that he’s the only contestant who hasn’t had professional dance training.

He’s competing against West End performer Amber Davies, who has faced criticism for her successful stage career, and former professional dancer and footballer Karen Carney. A source close to him says the only time he’s ever danced was during his university days at Exeter, where he studied Sports and Exercise Science.

People remarked that George rarely danced, and the student union or discos were likely the only times he ever did. Comparing him to Amber and Karen, they emphasized how impressive his achievements were.

And while most celebrities take to the floor to boost their careers, Clarke, again, is different.

Sources close to him say his motivation for competing on Strictly comes entirely from wanting to lift his mother’s spirits, as she’s been unwell. She would be overjoyed to see him win.

A friend of George shared that the news about his mother has been difficult for him. However, he now has a chance to really make her happy in an unexpected way. He’s described as a genuinely kind and down-to-earth person from Bristol, and completely surprised by his win, as he has no experience performing.

‘But it would just be so lovely for him to do this for his mum.’

Clarke revealed last month that Nicky, a frequent audience member, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The illness is now the central focus of her family’s life. He explained, ‘It’s really taking over her life at the moment.’

Nicky had faced health challenges even before her cancer diagnosis. As a teenager, she was diagnosed with encephalitis, a serious brain inflammation. She recalls that when she was 16, her dad checked on her mom one last time before hockey practice because her mom wasn’t feeling well.

He went upstairs and found she was having a seizure. Clarke also said she’s the most selfless person he knows, and that the first thing she did after being discharged from the hospital was to apologize for the worry and trouble she’d caused.

YouTuber Layton Williams is also supported by his girlfriend, model Yasmin Bennett, who was in the Strictly audience. They confirmed their relationship just before he announced he was joining the show, wanting to avoid rumors about a romance with his dance partner. Williams has spoken highly of Yasmin, saying she’s incredibly supportive and believed in him even when he doubted himself. Aside from a difficult time with his mother’s illness, Williams had a happy childhood, growing up in the Bristol suburb of Emerson’s Green with his parents and sister, Emily.

Okay, so I’ve been following George – everyone calls him ‘Clarkey,’ it’s adorable – for ages, and I’ve seriously scoured everything he’s put online. It’s crazy how much he shares! But get this – I just found out something huge that he’s never mentioned! His dad, Sean, is the big boss – the Managing Director – at Aardman Animations! You know, the studio that made Wallace & Gromit?! I’m completely blown away! It explains so much, but he’s never said a word about it! I can’t believe it!

Clarke benefited from his father’s success with a private school education costing £21,000 a year. However, he didn’t rely on family connections in the entertainment industry and instead chose to go to university. Unlike some, he’s not a product of nepotism. Meanwhile, his fellow contestants on tomorrow’s show may struggle to win votes due to public frustration over their dance training. One contestant, a former professional footballer, actually stopped dancing at age 15 to focus on her soccer career.

I played a lot of football as a child, just kicking the ball around with friends. I didn’t actually join a team until I was eleven years old – before that, I was focused on dancing.

We practiced a wide variety of dance styles and music genres, including street dance, hip-hop, disco, rock and roll, slow dancing, and group performances.

Thirty-eight-year-old Ms. Carney shared that she used to spend up to three hours each Saturday practicing dance, preparing for competitions on Sundays. Meanwhile, viewers are upset with 29-year-old Ms. Davies – and many say they won’t vote for her – after learning about her dance training.

The Welsh contestant initially became well-known after winning the reality show Love Island in 2017. She then joined Strictly Come Dancing unexpectedly, stepping in to replace Dani Dyer just days before the first show after Dyer broke her ankle during practice.

Ms. Davies started dancing at a young age, first at a local stage school in Denbigh, North Wales. She then earned a scholarship to the renowned Urdang Academy in London and moved to the capital at 16 to follow her passion for dance.

Following her win on Love Island, she landed a part in the West End musical 9 to 5 in 2019, playing the character Judy. The musical features songs by Dolly Parton.

Since then, she’s also been on TV shows like Dancing On Ice and has played leading roles in popular stage productions, including Back To The Future, The Great Gatsby, Bring It On, and Pretty Woman.

Ms. Davies is doing so well on stage that she won’t be joining the Strictly tour. She’s already committed to starring as Elle Woods in the upcoming UK tour of the musical Legally Blonde, which is based on the popular 2001 Reese Witherspoon movie.

Amber finalized the contract before starting on Strictly Come Dancing, which caused some unhappiness among people working on the show.

I can confirm they’re also frustrated with her repeatedly complaining about being targeted by online bullies.

‘It’s all getting a bit tedious now,’ says one source connected to the programme.

Clarke’s appearance on Strictly Come Dancing has made him even more popular, and he’s now reportedly receiving offers for new television work.

According to a source, he’s destined for major success – not just online, but in all aspects of life. As he gains recognition and potentially wins tomorrow, his mother will undoubtedly be his biggest supporter.

Read More

2025-12-20 01:34