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Reporter steps up to ballroom challenge

A crime reporter will take to the dance floor as part of a Strictly Come Dancing inspired event to raise funds for a cancer unit.

Northampton Chronicle and Echo’s crime reporter John Harrison, left, will take part in Strictly Northampton, a version of Strictly Come Dancing organised by the newspaper and other local companies.

The newspaper joined forces with Macmillan Cancer Care to raise £1.55 million for a new blood cancer treatment unit at Northampton General Hospital.

John is currently in training with semi-professional dancer Katie Jacob, also pictured.

He signed up for the competition as practice for the first dance at his wedding next year and said dancing is now starting to take over his life a little bit and compared it to training to be a journalist.

Said John: “It is like when I was training to be a journalist and learning shorthand. You end up seeing every word everyone says to you as a shorthand outline. Now I’ll be sitting at home watching the television and all I’ll be thinking about is the steps to the waltz or how I can’t point my toes during the jive.”

He added: “Training has been going well so far. I have been enjoying it much more than I thought I would and I’m really pleased to have Katie as my partner.

“She is incredibly patient and understanding and is very good at encouraging me to be more flamboyant with the dancing.

“We get on well, which helps, and luckily she has laughed every time I’ve stepped on her toes.”

Strictly Northampton takes place on 26 November is run by the Northampton Chronicle and Echo  in conjunction with BBC Radio Northampton, Step by Step Dance School and Image magazine.

A similar event called Strictly Chron Dancing was held last year and raised thousands of pounds for the same fund.

 

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  • November 3, 2011 at 8:54 am
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    I know Blackburn Rovers fan ‘John from the Chron’ and I’ve got every respect for him for dancing in front of thousands of people (remember the website audience, mate) . He’s put his potential embarrassment to one side to help this brilliant appeal. As the Health Reporter at the paper I know as well as anyone how much the new unit will be appreciated by the town for many years to come. Well done mate.

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