Dance star JJ Chalmers: My mate Prince Harry’s Strictly onside

Strictly Come Dancing star JJ Chalmers says he knows Prince Harry was wishing him luck as he made his dancefloor debut on the BBC show.

The TV presenter and former Royal Marine, who was injured by a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011, said he heard about Harry’s message through the Invictus Games, which was created by the duke.

Chalmers, 33, competed in the 2014 games, where he captained the trike cycling team and won one gold and two bronze medals, later becoming a commentator.

He said he hoped his recovery showed how the games could give injured servicemen and women a new life.

Speaking about Harry, he said: “I just know that he wishes me luck.

“Essentially, everybody is behind me, like I was saying. The Invictus Games in particular. I always hear through them about him.

“And they always want me to go out there and do them proud. But they don’t want me to feel any extra pressure.

“Just by making it to this point I have proved that there is a life beyond injury and that something like the Invictus Games can be the catalyst for you to go on and have a new career, have a new purpose in life.

“Obviously, not that I am going to become a dancer, but this is now a big part of my career and what happens beyond this in terms of what I will continue to work on.”

Asked whether he was prepared for the chance he might become a TV sex symbol, he replied: “I don’t think it is quite that yet.”

© Chris Jackson / PA Wire

Chalmers said his parents had been on “a hell of a journey with me since I was a wee boy”.

He added: “My wife is going to love it because she loves dance and I hopefully am going to be able to impress her with this waltz.

“And then my daughter is going to think it is magic.”

Chalmers hit the floor for the first time with professional partner Amy Dowden – and speaking on last night’s show he compared her to his friends in the Royal Marines.

The pair’s first scored routine was a waltz to What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.

No dancers will be eliminated this week with public voting starting on Saturday.

Speaking ahead of the dance, he said: “Being a Royal Marine, you put yourself in harm’s way and your courage is really drawn from the people around you.

“I was able to put my life on the line because I knew that if the worst ever happened then someone would have my back.

“This is the same… I am going to step out there tomorrow and I have got Amy – yes, I am the one leading it, apparently, but ultimately she is going to keep me in check.”