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Nigeria-born Ade Adepitan could become the first wheelchair star on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing

Nigeria-born Ade Adepitan could become the first wheelchair star on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing

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Strictly Come Dancing’ bosses are lining up a Paralympic basketball player to be the first wheelchair user to appear on the show.

They want TV presenter Ade Adepitan to star on the dance show after deciding a sportsperson would help producers navigate the complexities of their most ambitious attempt to make the show inclusive.

BBC sources also say that Strictly chiefs think it will be better to have a male celebrity in a wheelchair rather than a woman as it will provide more opportunities for the female professional dancer to be lifted in the air and sashay around the wheelchair. One source told Daily Mail on Sunday: ‘So much work has gone into this project as Strictly goes where no other show has been before. It is not an easy one to orchestrate but there are things that are going to make it easier.

‘To have someone who is used to being more nimble in their wheelchair would make things less challenging. Having a man instead of a woman will also make it more achievable for things like lifts. That’s not to say going forward that can’t change. Strictly is determined to make this work. They want their programme to be open to all.’

Adepitan, who contracted polio as a baby, has been playing basketball since he was 12.

He was a member of the Great Britain team that won bronze at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens.

The Nigerian-born star has guest-presented The One Show. He has also hosted BBC2 series New York: America’s Busiest City in 2016, and has co-presented the BBC’s Children In Need appeal for seven years.

The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that Strictly is to feature a wheelchair-bound celebrity for the first time.

Show bosses had planned to do it last year but ran out of time to train a professional dancer to partner with the contestant.

The move comes after the popularity of the show’s first deaf participant, actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who won the title last year, and Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who made it to week six last year.

It was reported earlier this year that Strictly bosses were hoping to sign Loose Women star Sophie Morgan as the show’s first wheelchair contestant.

They were understood to have thought Ms Morgan, who has worked in TV for nearly 20 years, would have been ‘ideal’.

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Entertainment

Davido Reveals 10 Things He Can’t Live Without on British GQ’s “10 Essentials”

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Nigerian singer and songwriter Davido joined British GQ in this new episode of 10 Essentials.

The singer revealed what he’s currently praying for, 10 things that he can’t live without, from his jewellery collection to his ‘hater blockers’ (sunglasses), a glass of Martell Cognac (his go-to drink), The Sidecar, and more.

Watch:

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New Music: Shatta Wale — Campaign

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Ghanaian Superstar, singer and songwriter Shatta Wale has released a brand new single titled “Campaign.”

“Campaign” was produced by PAq.

Stream here.

Listen below:

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Barack Obama Shares His Favorite Songs of 2023 – “Unavailable”, “Me & U”, “Amapiano”

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Barack Obama has graced us with another year of his musical musings, sharing his top tracks of 2023 just before the year ends. As usual, his playlist features a vibrant mix of genres, highlighting the sounds that kept him grooving through the year.

Afrobeats was not left out, with tracks like Davido and Musa Keys‘ “Unavailable,” Tems‘ “Me & U,” and the Grammy-nominated “Amapiano” by Asake and Olamide. Burna Boy, a repeat fave from Obama’s 2022 list, makes another appearance with “Sittin’ On Top Of The World,” alongside 21 Savage.

R&B also shines, with Megan Thee Stallion‘s “Cobra,” Stromzy and Fredo‘s “Toxic Trait,” Victoria Monét‘s “On My Mama” and Tyla‘s “Water.”

“Here are some of my favourite songs from this year,” he wrote on Instagram on Friday, December 29. “Let me know if there are any artists or songs I should check out.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1cPJrtOGzz/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8187931e-4f72-41cb-b4e3-8bd7bc47e37c

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