Strictly Come Dancing is back in full swing, with a host of familiar faces gracing the dance floor each week. Among the star-studded line-up is Dr Punam Krishan, who many will recognise from Morning Live or her appearances on BBC Radio Scotland. Dr Krishan is teamed up with professional dancer Gorka Marquez for this year’s Strictly and on Saturday, October 5, they performed to the Bollywood track, Bole Chudiyan from the 2001 film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
After their performance, she became emotional, stating: ”I never saw Indian girls dancing on mainstream television, so to be doing now, an Indian dance, on a platform like Strictly, it’s huge. I am such a proud Scottish Indian girl. In this couple’s choice, I really just want to bring my culture and my heritage to the forefront.”
Born in Glasgow on May 28, 1983, the celebrity doctor is the eldest of two daughters in her family. She earned her medical degree from Glasgow University, a city she still considers home. What many may not know is that Dr Krishan has a well known spouse. The 41-year-old is wedded to Scottish Conservative health spokesman, Dr Sandesh Gulhane. The pair have two children together, a son named Aarish and a daughter called Ellora, according to the Scottish Daily Express.
The self-proclaimed Strictly fan, referred to as “media medic and broadcaster” by the BBC due to her frequent appearances on TV and radio, has even penned a children’s book. Although stepping onto the dance floor is a drastic change of scenery, she vowed to tackle the challenge head-on. Before the competition began, she gushed: “This still doesn’t feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year’s show. I have watched Strictly every year with my family and it feels extra special that it’s the 20th year, I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now.
“This is so out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the journey and will give it my absolute all.” The mum-of-two added during an appearance on Morning Live: “I cannot tell you how excited I feel, reports the Liverpool Echo. “As a mega fan of the show for years, this honestly feels like a dream come true. And I’m in a very, very lucky position because many members of our Morning Live family have been there.”