Darcey Bussell talks to Paul Blezard

One of the greatest English ballerinas of all time Darcey Bussell talks about her life and career on the international stage and about life after retirement including as a judge on the BBC’s prime-time Saturday night show Strictly Come Dancing.

Bussell became principal dancer of Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet at the age of just 20. She went on to perform all the major classical ballet roles and to make guest appearances at many of the world’s leading ballet companies including New York City Ballet, the Balletto Della Scala, Kirov Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Hamburg Ballet and the Australian Ballet. Following retirement from ballet in 2007 she initiated a series of short children’s stories on the subject of ballet, co-wrote The Young Dancer with the Royal Ballet School and published an autobiographical picture book Darcey Bussell: A Life in Pictures.

Bussell had a spell as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing in 2009 before returning in 2012 as one of the four main judges. She has also presented a number of television documentaries including Darcey Bussell: Looking for Audrey and Darcey’s Ballet Heroines.