Amanda Abbington has an ice bath to avoid injuries on Strictly Come Dancing

Amanda Abbington has "set up an ice bath" to help her cope with the training regime on 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

The former ‘Sherlock’ star decided to try the freezing recovery treatment favoured by professional athletes to avoid muscle injuries as she prepares to hit the dancefloor on the BBC One ballroom show but her first experience has not inspired her to dunk again in a hurry.

The 51-year-old actress said: “I’ve set up an ice bath outside, I did it once the other day and hated it and won't ever go in it again! Jonathan, my partner, is super fit and he used to be a stunt performer, so he’s putting me through my paces and just getting my strength up because I'm lazy. I haven't been to the gym for ages, so I'm trying to get my fitness levels back up, but I'm not doing any dance training. I'm going into it completely fresh. I just want to learn it all from scratch from the professionals, I think that’s the best way to do it really.”

Amanda has had lots of messages of support and advice from former celebrity competitors as she gets ready for her debut dance in front of judges Shirley Ballas, 63, Craig Revel Horwood, 58, Motsi Mabuse, 42, and Anton Du Beke, 57.

She said: “Everybody that I've spoken to, like Catherine Tyldesley and Sunetra Sarker, have said just go in and enjoy it. Don't go in to win it, just have the best time and take it step by step literally. You'll have the most fun then and that's what I wanted to do ... just come in and have a nice time.”

Amanda is looking forward to the glitz and the glamour of the costumes on the programme - which is hosted by Claudia Winkleman, 51, and 54-year-old Tess Daly - because she is usually “a slob” at home.

She added: “I'm quite a slob in my day-to-day life, I just wear jogging bottoms and T-shirts and vests and things, so I'm really looking forward to wearing all the sequins and glitter. I was rewatching some of the dances and those costumes are wonderful, I'm so excited about the costumes... and false eyelashes!”

'Strictly Come Dancing' starts on Saturday (16.09.23) at 6.35pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.