Sutton youngsters wowed Strictly Come Dancing audiences with opening dance

Elliot Blant-Harwood (11) and his dancing partner Mia Linnik-Holden (10) could not believe it when they were approached by BBC bosses and asked to dance on the hit show.

The pair, who specialise in Ballroom and Latin, have only been dancing together for six months. But they have already won national titles - putting them on the radar of the Strictly bosses.

On Saturday 16th November, the pair performed Samba - where they were joined by six other junior couples.

Elliot’s proud mum Madeline said: “We were thrilled when Elliot was asked if he would like to do the show four weeks ago.

“Me and Elliot were jumping up and down and felt over the moon about it, as did the rest of the family.”

Elliot and Mia train at the Harwood School of Dancing in Sutton three times a week and are taught by Elliot’s dad, Scott and his grandparents, who run the school.

Madeline added: “Elliot was in awe of the professional dancers on Strictly, he had such a good time. He has been dancing since he was three but only started to take it seriously when he was five after losing a competition and deciding he didn’t want to be beaten.”

The youngsters, who won the Ballroom and Latin England Championships among other competitions, took part in the opening sequence of Strictly and received rave reviews from the likes of Sir Alan Sugar and judge Craig Revel Horwood on Twitter.