Winning Strictly Come Dancing was the spark that propelled The Wanted star Jay McGuiness to theatre stardom.
Jay won the Glitterball trophy in 2015 alongside professional dance partner Aliona Vilani.
Triumphing in the hit BBC show was the first step on a road that led him to star as William Shakespeare in & Juliet which will run in Aberdeen next week.
The hilarious musical flips the story of Romeo and Juliet, and asks what would happen next if Juliet didn’t meet a tragic death.
A smash hit in London’s West End the acclaimed musical secured three Olivier Awards and six WhatsOnStage gongs.
Now it will arrive in the Granite City as part of a national tour.
Jay, 34, said: “I had a meeting with the producers of Big which was the first musical I was ever in.
“They told me they saw me on Strictly and thought he’s in a boy band so he can sing.
“He can also dance so let’s see if he can also do a musical!
“Strictly was like a boomerang for me because when I left high school I went to college for three years to do musical theatre.
“My family saw it as me returning to being on theatre stages.
“However, to a lot of people it’s that dude from The Wanted has gone into theatre.”
‘It’s the scary things that end up being rewarding’
Jay’s theatre career began just months after winning Strictly Come Dancing when he made his West End debut in Big The Musical.
He played Josh Baskin, the character made famous by two-time Oscar Winner Tom Hanks in the original movie.
The singer/actor has subsequently appeared in Rip It Up, Sleepless in Seattle and 2:22 – A Ghost Story.
He said: “I’m so thankful I did Strictly.
“It’s the scary things that end up being rewarding.
“Whenever I feel pretty low after a long period of time it is because I have cocooned myself away from the things that are scaring me.
“Then you end up feeling stagnant.
“Every time I have pushed myself, I have felt happy I did.
“I loved the nine hour rehearsals with Strictly and my partner was a legend.
“I was lucky as a lot of people were still in soaps or had kids to go home to.
“But I was free as a bird and could train for as long as I wanted.
“The adrenaline you get from going on live television on Saturday it really knackers you.
“And the day after your exhausted.
“You get Sunday off to decompress then go again.”
A fresh take on Shakespeare classic
Emmy-winning writer David West Read, writer of hit television show Schitt’s Creek, created & Juliet.
In a fresh twist Juliet rejects the fatal ending devised by Shakespeare and takes a second chance at life and love, on her terms.
The musical is sound-tracked by iconic pop anthems written by Max Martin, the songwriter/producer behind more number one hits than any other artist this century.
They include Britney Spears‘ Baby One More Time and Katy Perry’s Roar.
Jay said: “The show is really fun and is laced with pop songs.
“You basically watch William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway rewrite Romeo and Juliet, from more of a woman’s perspective.
“After Romeo kills himself Juliet wakes up and decides I’m still young and have a life left to live.
“So we continue her story.
“It’s interesting to think of Shakespeare’s work being remixed.
“In & Juliet, Shakespeare really believes his own hype and references that he changed language.
“There are sayings that are now part of our language such as with bated breath, foregone conclusion or in my heart and hearts.
“Shakespeare says them and then points to the audience that# by the way, I invented that phrase’.
“He is pretty in love with himself.
“But if he lived to see his legacy, why wouldn’t he be.”
Shock at The Wanted bandmate’s recent health scare
During Jay’s time with The Wanted the band racked up three number one singles and seven top three hits.
They mourned the death of bandmate Tom Parker in 2022 after a battle with an inoperable brain tumour.
The remaining band members are still good friends, and Jay was shocked when The Wanted singer and friend Max George was hospitalised due to a heart condition.
Max, 36, was fitted with a pacemaker to keep his heart beating regularly.
He was released from hospital on December 23.
Jay said: “Siva ( Kaneswaran, The Wanted singer) messaged me and said call Max.
“When he told me I thought how is this possible as he is so young.
“Max is in really good hands and aside from his medical problems is a really healthy guy.
“It will all come good.”
“He has a great mental attitude about everything and is on the road to recovery which is great.”
Writing his debut novel in Aberdeen
Jay is relishing a return to Aberdeen as he has fond memories of working on his debut novel Blood Flowers whilst in the city last year.
He starred in 2:22 – A Ghost Story at His Majesty’s Theatre and would write in Aberdeen University’s library.
Old Aberdeen influenced his novel which is a dark dystopian tale which a message about poverty and inequality.
He said: “I loved Aberdeen when I was there with 2:22- A Ghost Story last year.
“I was writing at the time so I spent a lot of time at the University library which is so beautiful.
“My writing is about the class divide between the rich and poor.
“Seeing all the old cottages and the cathedrals in Old Aberdeen was inspiring for a lot of settings in my book.
“As soon as I wrote my first book I knew it was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
& Juliet is at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen from Tuesday February 4 to Saturday February 8. More details at andjulietthemusical.co.uk
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