Ope Sowande, the 27-year-old West End performer entering the Love Island villa, has revealed his past stint on Strictly Come Dancing as a backing dancer. Speaking ahead of his debut on the ITV dating show, Sowande said he appeared alongside actor Sarah Hadland and her professional partner Vito Coppola during the 2024 series.
“Dancing on Strictly was amazing. I had the best time and met some really cool people but it was a really long rehearsal schedule,” he recalled. However, his time on the show was brief: “I only did Strictly for a really short amount of time, I did one episode a couple of years ago. It was a very quick turnaround.”
Beyond Strictly, the Lincolnshire-born performer has appeared in Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, and a Walkers crisps advert. He also performed in pantomime with Alison Hammond, with whom he remains in touch. “I did panto with [her] a few years ago and we still stay in touch. I reckon she'll be championing me for sure,” he said.
Sowande has previously met former Love Island stars Amber Gill and Samira Mighty at a party, describing them as “really cool girls”. Now, he is focused on his own journey, vowing to be himself: “No acting is going to be involved. It's a completely different challenge that I'm really looking forward to.”
Confident in his appeal, Sowande stated: “No one phases me, I don't get threatened. I'm very confident in myself as a person. I love my beauty, looks and humour. If someone fancies someone else more than me, then that's on them. I won’t take it personally.” He also hinted at a willingness to stir up drama, admitting to having a “wandering eye” and declaring he would never play “anything safe”.
Love Island airs Monday 1 June at 9pm on ITV2 and streams on ITVX.
