Strictly champ Harry Judd on his night with Lindsay Lohan

AS the clean-cut pop star on Strictly, handsome Harry Judd has danced his way into the nations hearts.

The lovable boy-next-door drummer from McFly was finally crowned Strictly champion on Saturday night after a string of spectacular ballroom routines.

However, he wasnt so graceful on his feet the morning he stumbled from Hollywood wild child Lindsay Lohans hotel room.

Lohan, who has had lengthy battles with drink and drugs, made a beeline for former public schoolboy Harry on the set of the movie Just My Luck back in 2005.

The film featured a cameo by the boys from McFly who were playing themselves and lead actress Lohan took a real shine to the bands pretty-boy drummer.

Harry, who is now head-over-heels in love with his long-term partner Izzy Johnston, recalled: At the time I thought, This is awesome. But I was really nervous. Lindsay invited me back to her hotel. I left at eight oclock next morning.

Lohan has denied any encounter but Harry is happy to set the record straight.

I didnt s**g her but we spent the night and had a fumble, he said. We did things teenagers do. We went far enough but not the full home run.



It was certainly an eye-opening experience for Harry, who just two years before was boarding at Uppingham, the 20,000-a-year school which boasts Stephen Fry among its former pupils.

Harry, who grew up in Chelmsford, Essex, was in the sixth-form at the posh Rutland school when he saw an advert offering auditions for the pop band McFly.

My parents werent keen on me joining McFly, he said. I was 17 and I was about to do my AS levels. My dad really wanted me to finish school and do a degree, but I argued that doing this was the experience I needed.

It was weird, because once Id met the other guys I never had a second of doubt that we were going to make it.

My parents were incredible after a few sessions they just said theyd support me.

The band Harry, Im A Celebrity winner Dougie Poynter, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones has since clocked up 18 Top 20 singles, seven of which hit No1 in the UK, and scooped a Brit Award.

Harry spent a lot of the early years in a drunken pop star haze but hes since kicked the booze. The 25-year-old said: I stopped drinking last year and that has been a good thing for me on Strictly as Ive had no hangovers and Ive been really able to focus. The tough thing is there is an amazing crew on Strictly and theyve all been saying, Well have a drink tonight Harry, and I feel like, How am I going to explain this? I dont enjoy drinking any more. I only ever used. to drink to get drunk. I could drink if I wanted, but I dont. Id rather get to bed, as Im so exhausted.

At the beginning of the series, Harry moved in with his girlfriend Izzy Johnston, 27, a member of all-girl electro-string quartet Escala, who got to the finals of 2008s Britains Got Talent. And he revealed that one day theyll marry. He gushed: Shes the only girl in the world for me, I absolutely know 100% that in her I have found The One, and yes I do want marriage, kids, the whole deal. Im lucky to have her.



The pair began dating three years ago, but split after 18 months due to work pressures. Then Izzy, after six months apart, turned up unexpectedly one day on his doorstep. She was standing there in tears with make-up running down her face, said Harry. I knew then that I couldnt ever be without her.

Her support paid off on Saturday night, when Harry lifted the Strictly trophy at Blackpools Tower Ballroom after beating Chelsee Healey and Jason Donovan.

Harrys seemingly effortless routines dazzled 13.3million viewers on BBC1 but a series of disasters in practice earlier in the day with his pro partner Aliona threatened to scupper his bid.

I forgot some moves, he said. The dress run was pretty disastrous. I almost dropped Aliona. And then in the Argentine tango I tripped her up and we had to miss a whole section. Everyone was reassuring us, Dont worry, bad dress run, good show. It has been very emotional and I was on the verge of crying all day.

The night before the final I was with Izzy in a hotel room and I started to work myself up a bit. I was feeling pretty anxious. Thankfully I passed out and next thing I knew the alarm was going off.



There was more drama on the day when contestant Nancy DellOlio refused to travel to Blackpool on the chartered BBC coach. Thankfully, Holly Valance stepped in and offered her boyfriends Rolls-Royce, before they flew up to the seaside town in a private jet.

And there was almost another disaster as Harry was pronounced champ when his McFly bandmates invaded the stage and frightened the life out of Sir Bruce Forsyth. Tom Fletcher, who was shooed off by the host, said: I think Brucie thought we were streakers. We wanted to streak but I dont think the BBC would be too happy about that. It was a laugh and we just wanted to congratulate Harry.

The boys will all be back in the studio soon although Brucie reckons Harry could make a living out of dancing.



He said: Im not sure if that is entirely true but it is kind of Bruce to say. It has been an absolute honour to be on the same show as Bruce.

The McFly boys have been recording new material and demos while I have been doing this. Obviously Dougie has been in the jungle. We will be happy to get back into the studio and touring in March and April. And we cant wait to get back on the road. Im happy to be back on drums.

Dancing on Strictly is 10 times more nerve-racking than being on stage with McFly. When weve had high pressured gigs Ive always thought Im so glad Im a drummer. But Strictly has given me more confidence.

Youd be surprised how much self-doubt people have. I never thought Id do Strictly. I forever doubted myself and every Saturday I was thinking, This is too much, I cant do it, but Aliona has helped me. One of the things I was most pleased of is that I held my nerve.

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