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Vegan football star Karen Carney is competing in the quarter finals of Strictly Come Dancing tonight.
Carney is a sports journalist and former footballer who was known as “the wizard” for her skillful wide play and midfielding. She scored 53 goals in 178 league appearances and received both an MBE and an OBE for her services to football in 2017.
Read more: Vegan Footballer Wins BBC Green Sport Awards, Says ‘With Power Comes Responsibility’
Carney has become a new favorite to win this season of Strictly with just a few weeks to go until the final. The vegan athlete is partnered with Carlos Gu, a professional dancer and choreographer who was a Chinese National Champion before joining Strictly in 2022.
The British TV show partners celebrities with professionals who teach them about different dance styles, design the choreography, and perform with them as they compete. Strictly has been on the air for more than 20 years, and this season has maintained an average of 5.4 million viewers.
According to the Metro, Strictly contestants receive a flat rate of £25,000, which rises to £40,000, then £60,000 if they manage to stay in. Finalists receive £75,000, and the winner receives £100,000 along with the coveted Glitterball Trophy.
‘Born This Way’ and platforming veganism
In last week’s Couple’s Choice episode, Carney and Gu performed to Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way.’ In a message sent to Plant Based News (PBN), one viewer praised how Carney has continually platformed veganism throughout her time as a footballer and her appearances on Strictly, inspiring some fans of the show to go vegan too.
The latest season of Dancing With The Stars, the American companion show to Strictly Come Dancing, concluded earlier this week. Elaine Hendrix, an actor and longtime vegan and animal rights activist, made it all the way to the Dancing With The Stars finals and took fifth place with her partner Alan Bersten.
In addition to being the Strictly quarter finals, tonight’s episode is part of Musicals Week. It kicks off at 18.50 GMT on BBC One. The season will conclude on December 20th.
Read more: ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ Urged To Remove Feathers From Costumes
‘I’ve never met anyone who eats or loves tofu as much as me!’
Carney recently told Closer that she has been vegan for more than seven years, and that going plant-based “changed her life” and “helped tenfold” with her health.
“When I was at Chelsea, I was struggling with mental health, and when I did research, the one thing that came back was that a vegan diet could help, and also with inflammation,” Carney said. “I only did it for the last year [at Chelsea], and all the inflammation in my ankle went, and all my stats went through the roof.”
Carney also said her vegan diet is “another reason” why she loves her dance partner, Gu. “I’ve never met anyone who eats or loves tofu as much as me! My advice to anyone struggling is to eat well, sleep well, and communicate to your trusted group. Everyone in life has ups and downs, but give yourself the best chance.”
Read more: Vegan Athlete Wins European Strongman Games And Static Monsters, Sets New World Record
