FIERCE, courageous, and entertaining – Wanda Nara’s journey on Italy’s version of Strictly Come Dancing has got people talking.
Last weekend, the notorious Wag, 36, saw judges on Ballando con le Stelle flash 10s at her for her stunning samba routine.
Of course, it would have been criminal if the South American bombshell couldn’t nail a dance with Brazilian origins.
But, Wanda has had a lot on her plate before she embarked on a mission to wow TV audiences.
And, no doubt, she would have won a whole host of new fans.
At the tail-end of last month, the wife of former Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi broke down in tears when she revealed she was battling a serious illness.
However, that hasn’t stopped her from dazzling alongside partner Pasquale La Rocca.
It has been an emotional adventure for the brave beauty.
Performing on Strictly is a hard slog.
Previous contestants will tell you about the gruelling time spent in the studio getting your steps right with your dancer.
It’s especially harder on Wanda, who divides her time between Turkey, where Icardi plays for Galatasaray, and Italy.
The days are long, while the nerve-racking experience of the live show is enough to put a mere mortal off.
One error and you are thrown to the dogs, with millions critical from their armchairs.
Wanda, though, is on a mission.
In an emotional segment in the early weeks of the series, Wanda made an astonishing revelation about a health scare she has had.
Fighting back tears, she told viewers she wanted to take part to “show my children that I am fine”.
Wanda explained how doctors had diagnosed her with a serious illness over the summer after she underwent a routine health check-up.
Fortunately, it was discovered early and Wanda has been able to manage her condition.
After wowing viewers with a rumba in the opening week, Wanda tearfully explained her motivation for joining the hit show as she opened up on her health problems.
She said: “I had to travel to Milan. Whenever I go there I do some routine tests. The results were abnormal and the doctors began to see things.
“I was crying without knowing what it even was. My children were so sad.
“When they invited me to be on ‘Dancing with the Stars’, obviously the situation was more stable.
“Before signing the contract, I asked the doctors whether I could accept while receiving treatment. They told me ‘yes, 100 per cent, do it’.
“I believe it is an example for my children and when they see this experience, especially the younger ones who did not understand what was happening to their mum. They will feel like everything is fine.
“I’m dancing to show that I’m fine.”
Wanda first addressed issues with her health back in July, when she said on social media she wanted to keep her condition private while she awaited more test results.
However, she explained to Corriere della Sera how she is coping with the illness.
“I’m trying to live with the same strength as before, valuing life every day.
“I have always thought that nothing matters more than health, now obviously more. And I want to be with the people I love, not worry about bulls***, that’s the most important thing.”
On her diagnosis, she added: “Yes, yes, fortunately yes [it was detected early].
“It makes everything more manageable. I was very tired and having to go on a trip I had some tests done, for no reason. After the result I stopped for a couple of days.
“I had to understand the situation. Now I try to live it by valuing every moment of my life more.
“I had the worst thoughts, especially as a mother. But it’s also the reason why she made me react quickly: I feel like I’m the driving force of my family, if I fall everyone falls, like dominoes.”
You could be forgiven for thinking Wanda’s efforts in the ballroom were something she had trained to do in the past. She’s been that impressive.
“People think that if you were born in Argentina you have dancing in your blood, but in my case it’s not like that,” she told La Repubblica.
She added, “I’m not even strong in the tango” which she recalled practising as a five-year-old girl with her grandfather when she grew up in Buenos Aires.
On the eve of the show, Wanda promised: “I’m here to have fun and dance. The public will see another Wanda Nara.” She wasn’t wrong.
Ballando con le Stelle kicked off on October 21 on RAI network, so we’re just over three weeks in.
Already, Wanda has stolen the show – and that’s not only for her dancing.
Quirky stories about odd habits like chewing ice, which was encouraged by husband Icardi who bought her an ice machine, have endeared her to the public.
As for the dancing, she stunned with a tango and paso doble in the first few weeks.
But in the recent show, where she performed three dances, it was her samba that had judges applauding her.
She received five 10’s from them, achieving her first perfect score of the competition.
Wanda is now the hot favourite, in more ways than one. It’s a fitting dedication to her children.
