Former Strictly judge Darcey Bussell reveals she once locked lips with Harrison Ford during audition

She enjoyed a hugely successful dance career, rising to Principal of The Royal Ballet.

And Dame Darcey Bussell has revealed that Hollywood once beckoned, as she auditioned to appear opposite Harrison Ford in the 1995 romantic comedy Sabrina.

Making an appearance on Saturday’s upcoming instalment of The Jonathan Ross Show, the former Strictly Come Dancing judge, 52, disclosed how she enjoyed a ‘good snog’ with Ford, now 78, during screen tests while vying for the role.

On the prospect of becoming an actress, she said: ‘It wasn’t an ambition at all. I just got lucky and got asked to do some auditions with Harrison Ford for a movie. It was a remake of an Audrey Hepburn film, Sabrina.

‘I was injured at the time, so I had some time on my hands. So it didn’t seem such a big deal. I was more worried about my injury and recovering.

‘It was amazing meeting Harrison Ford, I had to learn this whole script – it was 1994 – I didn’t do a full love scene with him, but we had a good snog. It was my claim to fame, I got to snog Harrison Ford. I have those recorded, sketches I did with him.

‘I did three screen tests. For me it was just the experience, didn’t think I’d be close to getting the role. I’d only acted on stage as a dancer without words, very different. It would have been major.’

The role would eventually go to British actress Julia Ormond, 56, who went on to enjoy a successful film and TV career after appearing in the movie, which earned positive reviews from critics but proved to be a box office disappointment.

During her appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, Darcey also admitted to missing her time on Strictly, which she departed in 2019, seven years after signing up.

She said: ‘It was a big thing for a ballet dancer. It was fabulous, I had seven years. I miss that – it’s like being part of a company again.’

Asked if she’d go back to the BBC ballroom show, she replied: ‘Not permanently, it would be lovely to be a guest judge or something.’

She added: ‘I’ve had lots of other jobs and I’ve really enjoyed all of the different things I do. It was a great commitment, the nice thing was it really celebrated dance in a great way. It was great for the ballet world to have a judge as a ballerina.’ 

Darcey, who is married to Australian businessman Angus Forbes, also addressed whether she believes there’s a so-called Strictly curse, given the number of contestants’ relationships that have crumbled after appearing on the show.

The London-born star said: ‘I think in any industry if you’re working with somebody intensely you’re going to be attracted to them. On Strictly it’s live television and everyone gets to see it. Everyone loves a love story.’

‘I had a partner that my mother wanted me to fall in love with. She couldn’t understand why I didn’t,’ she went on, seemingly referring to her erstwhile ballet dance partner Roberto Bolle.

‘I did call him my Italian stallion. The last seven years of my career I worked with him. Such a beautiful man, no ego. My mum would say, “He even has nice teeth.” I’d say, “Weirdly I’m focused on the work!”‘

She added: ‘There’s a lot of dancers who are married to each other. It is normal. But in any industry [that exists].’

Asked if she misses ballet dancing herself, Darcey told Jonathan Ross: ‘No I don’t miss the pain on the body no. All your senses are alive and everything.

‘It stimulates you. but I think anything that’s that physical… it helps get rid of a lot of angst when performing like that.

‘You exert so much energy and the power you put into that performance. I miss that. I’m a bit older now so I don’t have as much energy now.’

Looking back on her injuries, she said: ‘I’ve had a couple of bone spurs, like chips, that’s working on hard stages, jumping and things like that. The most painful when a dancer. You worked through some of them stupidly as you’re naïve and young.’

Speaking about the pain she added: ‘When you’re performing you don’t feel it. After the show you feel it.’

Darcey also discussed producing the British Ballet Charity Gala at London’s Royal Albert Hall, saying: ‘It’s quite a unique event – eight leading companies and they’ve all said they’ll do it.

‘At the time where there hasn’t been any performances it’s been so important to get audiences back into the theatre.

‘It’s not just a charity event to raise money just for the dancers, it’s the whole industry; choreographers, musicians, stage managers, tech teams, costume designers… it’s a massive industry and nothing’s been happening.’

She went on: ‘[Dancing] is such a short career anyway, taking a year or a year and a half out of their lives… striving to be creative and nothing.’

Darcey said of the audience: ‘[We’ll have] about 1,000 people in the Royal Albert Hall, normally 5,000 – we’re going to stream it. It will be ticketed.

‘Please everybody if you could, just to raise funds for these companies. Some of them haven’t performed for a year and a half, two years… I’ve never produced a show in my life, it’s quite scary.’

The Jonathan Ross Show airs on Saturday 8th of May at 9:35pm on ITV and ITV Hub.