Strictly’s Joanne Clifton on winning the latest series and starring on stage in Thoroughly Modern Millie

JOANNE CLIFTON admits she still can’t believe she won the latest series of Strictly.

More than a month after her surprise victory with BBC sports presenter Ore Oduba, the 33-year-old dancer says the victory has yet to sink in.

“Maybe it won’t until I go back – if I’m asked to return,” Joanne says.

Surely the winner of the BBC’s ratings’ winner is not at risk of being dropped by producers?

“You never know who will be asked back and who won’t,” she continues. “Nobody’s safe and it’s very much a case of wait and see.”

The genuine shock that Joanne and Ore felt when their names were read out made their win one of the most memorable in the Saturday evening show’s history.

But Joanne, whose brother Kevin and sister-in-law Karen are also professional dancers on the programme, can’t remember a thing about it – apart from trying not to faint!

“We didn’t expect to win in the slightest because we had been in the dance-off loads, so because of that we just went for it.

“As the results were being read out, I was tapping my hand to the music, quite relaxed. They seemed to say the names really fast and when they did, I genuinely thought I was going to faint.

“Kevin picked me up and spun me around, but all I could do was concentrate on breathing.”

But Joanne reveals she shared a sweet moment with her brother, runner-up four years in a row.

“He has made the final a lot and the first thing I said to him when we went off air was sorry, but he told me never to say that again,” she says.

“He said I was his little sister, he was proud of me and there was no one he wanted to win it more.

“Kevin and I have a loving sibling rivalry. People want to hear about problems backstage but it’s quite boring.

“We’re all good friends and we support each other.”

Joanne was born into a dancing family. Her parents are former world number ones, Keith and Judy Clifton, and Joanne and Kevin began dancing at an early age.

She won a string of titles in a glittering professional career, including Professional Ballroom European Champion and World Ballroom Showdance Champion.

After retiring from competition, she joined the cast of Strictly in 2014 and was partnered with DJ Scott Mills. They came 11th and she wasn’t used in the following series, although she did win the festive special with Harry Judd.

Having accomplished everything in dance, she is now fulfilling another childhood dream by starring in the title role of Thoroughly Modern Millie, a musical based on the 1967 Oscar-winning film about the 1920s jazz scene in New York. It arrives in Edinburgh tomorrow.

“I’ve wanted to do musical theatre since I was a kid, but dancing took over,” she admits.

Ambitious Joanne has already appeared in two theatre shows, but nothing on the scale of Millie and never in a tour.

She was in Face The Music and Norma Jean The Musical, taking on the role of Marilyn Monroe.

“The producers of Millie came to see me playing Marilyn and approached my agent and asked me to audition.

“They knew I was going to be in Strictly, which would cut back on my rehearsal time, so I had to learn five songs and two acting scenes in two days.

“I stayed up both nights learning them and thankfully I got the phone call afterwards. It’s a dream come true. I only had two days off between Strictly and joining up with them.

“When I first stepped into Wimbledon Theatre, where we started, and looked around, I Just thought, ‘wow’.

“I’ve never worn a microphone on stage before, so that took a little getting used to, and I was concerned about the singing.

“I worry every night I’m going to have a blank on my speaking lines, although it’s acting I’m enjoying most. I’m hardly off stage for the whole show and after opening night I was so emotional I ran to the side and gave my mum a big hug.

“She came along every night during the first week and I’ve been told there will be busloads of my family coming to some of the other cities.”

Being part of the show for the next six months means Joanne is missing out on the Strictly tour, but she’s happy her sister-in-law is stepping into her shoes.

“Ore is dancing with Karen and they’re doing all of the same dances, so it’s nice that it’s being kept in the family.”

Starring alongside Joanne in Millie is former EastEnders and Coronation Street favourite Michelle Collins, who Joanne calls an “inspiration”.

And Joanne is looking forward to discovering if the Scottish theatre audiences are as raucous as the crowds who turn up in Glasgow for the Strictly tour.

“We can’t wait to come up with Strictly because the Scottish crowds are the best,” she says. “They turn up with banners and hats and have a great time, so it will be interesting to see if it’s the same with the theatre audience.”

Unflagging Joanne won’t finish as Millie until July, leaving little time for a rest before Strictly returns.

“If I get asked back I’ll have just two weeks off after Millie because the professionals return in August, but I don’t mind because I’m getting to live my childhood dream,” she smiles.

As the new Strictly golden girl, life just keeps getting better for the thoroughly hard-working Joanne.

Thoroughly Modern Millie, Edinburgh Playhouse until Saturday, and King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Feb 6-11.