Strictly Come Dancing professional Dianne Buswell spoke to WEEKEND about her fitness routine and how she’s persuaded her YouTuber beau to join her on the mat.

Since joining the cast of Strictly Come Dancing and going public with her relationship with her 2018 dance partner Joe Sugg, Dianne Buswell has become one of the most recognisable faces on TV.

The 30-year-old red-haired Aussie, who started dancing at the age of four, is one of the show’s best-loved professional dancers, finishing a runner up in last year’s series with YouTuber Sugg.

As Strictly returns on BBC One, we nabbed ten minutes with Buswell to get the lowdown on how she looks after her health and fitness.

You’re rehearsing non-stop for the Strictly live shows, but do you have to do any extra workouts alongside the dance rehearsals?

“Yes, it’s funny you say that. People always think, ‘Oh, you do so much exercise, that must be enough’, but with dancing, I’m so used to it that actually it genuinely doesn’t do that much for me anymore.

“I condition [my body] with Pilates and yoga; they’re my two favourite things that I do, and they go hand in hand with dancing. In dancing, you want long, toned muscles, not short, bigger muscles, so I find that those exercises really lengthen and tone at the same time.”

When you’re not taking part in Strictly, what’s a typical week’s workout for you?

“If I’m not doing Strictly, I genuinely like to wake up and start with yoga, because it’s good for the mind, not just the body.

“There’s so much going on in our world these days that it’s nice to just wake up first thing and not look at your phone before starting your day.

“I love walking and bike riding too. Joe actually just bought me a new bike for my birthday, so I’m really enjoying going for a bike ride when it’s not raining.

“As well as Pilates, I like doing little YouTube videos on my phone. Sometimes it can just be a five or ten minute little workout. As long as you’re keeping your body active though, it doesn’t have to be a long session at the gym to be effective.

“I just search for whatever I’m feeling that day, whether it be gentle yoga, or if I’m feeling bit more like I’ve got more energy, I’ll go for something more hardcore. I definitely don’t workout every day, but I’ll maybe do it four to five times a week.”

And do you and Sugg ever do couples workouts together?

“Yeah, we actually do. Like I say, we go for bike rides a lot together, but I’ve actually got him into yoga as well, because again, he’s so busy.

“The majority of his time is spent on a computer or on the phone, so it’s nice for him to do a bit of yoga as well. He’s found that really helped him throughout the day; even just breathing.”

Do you do meditation?

“Not so much. I like the whole breathing thing and that’s a form of meditation, but I don’t really sit there and meditate. I do have things that run through my mind, so I don’t think that’s classed as 100 per cent meditation.”

When it comes to nutrition, how do you keep your energy levels up when you’re taking part in Strictly?

“It can be hard because we’re on the go all the time, but I’m quite lucky, I’ve never really been a big fast food eater in terms of burgers and chips and things like that.

“I always feel so much better, and I’ve got more life, if I’ve eaten something clean and healthy. So I tend to always go for a healthier option.

“I don’t have that much time to cook for myself, especially on tours, but they look after us super well and provide us with catering.”

Is there anything you avoid eating?

“I try not to eat refined sugars too much. One thing I do love is chocolate. I’ll try and stick to darker chocolate though, so there’s more cocoa and less sugar.”

And is there anything additional you take like protein or supplements?

“I don’t actually take anything extra, I just stick to a healthy diet, and at this stage (touch wood) that’s all I need.”

Dianne Buswell returns to screens tonight with the rest of the Strictly Come Dancing cast.

She and YouTube personality boyfriend Joe Sugg will tour the UK in the spring on 2020. They will perform at the Brighton Centre on Thursday, April 2. For tickets and more information visit www.brightoncentre.co.uk.