Strictly star Rhys Stephenson: How ’desperate’ prayers got me to CBBC

When Rhys Stephenson joined Strictly Come Dancing, most people over the age of twelve would have been forgiven for not knowing who the CBBC presenter was (the 28-year-old has spent the majority of his professional life interacting with a puppet dog called Hacker!) But the prime time BBC One show has propelled the presenter to new heights, and in this conversation with Premier Christianity's Emma Fowle Rhys reveals how a 'desperate' prayer and the support of his church family led him into his chosen career. Rhys also explains why he feels so strongly that Christianity gets a bad rap in the media. He worries this has led many Christian young people – and adults – to feel embarrassed about expressing their faith. The star narrowly missed out on the final, but says if his Strictly journey helped others to “feel seen… feel represented”, that’s the real prize. You can also read this interview on premierchristianity.com. Subscribe now for just £1