Dani Harmer is a workaholic, she tells Steve Pratt, as the former Tracy Beaker star tries to murder the opposition on the dancefloor in Strictly Come Dancing, before opening in pantomime at York

TV’s Tracy Beaker, Dani Harmer, is going from rags to riches. Here she is in York dressed in tatters as put-upon kitchen maid Cinderella. Then, without the aid of a fairy godmother, she’ll be transformed into sequinned ballroom dancer.

The 23-year-old actress, known to millions as Tracy Beaker in the BBC series, is stepping out with professional dancer Vincent Simone on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

She took time out from training to launch the first pantomime presented at York Barbican since its reopening.

She stars alongside king of the jungle and ex-EastEnders actor Joe Swash and Hollyoaks actor Joe Tracini in that most magical of shows Cinderella.

Training with Simone is going really well, she reports. “I’ve just done the first week. It’s really hard work but I’ve got the best partner ever. Vincent is amazing.”

Doesn’t he has a reputation as a hard taskmaster? “No, he’s not actually.

He’s really patient and we’re having such a laugh together. We get on so well. So it’s more fun than work,” she says.

SIMONE seems pleased with his partner, according to remarks in this week’s Radio Times. “I’m very happy to get a girl who I really have a chance at winning the competition with,” he says.

“Everyone should watch out because although we are little people we are going to be fast – we call ourselves the speedy smurfs”.

Harmer has had a taste of what’s in store after competing in Let’s Dance For Sports Relief with young Outnumbered actor Tyger Drew- Honey. “That’s a nice warm-up really because now I know what it’s like to have a really short amount of time to learn a dance and perform in front of millions of people. It’s still nerveracking, but I’ve done it once before and I can do it again.”

She didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation to take part because she’s wanted to do it for years. The sudden cancellation of the theatre tour of Disco Inferno meant she was free.

“This is the first time I’ve had a gap in my schedule, so I’ve finally been able to do it,” she says.

“It all felt a bit too real when we were shooting the trailer and I did have a moment where I went, ‘Why am I here? Why am I doing this to myself?’.

“But it’s so much fun and I’ve loved every second of it so far. I’ve done a bit of dancing before. I used to do it at school, so I did ballet and tap and stuff, but I’ve never done ballroom before so this is a first for me.”

Harmer won the role of Tracy Beaker, created by best-selling children’s author Jacqueline Wilson, when she was 12 and has played the part in various series since then. The most recent episodes have been filmed in Newcastle.

SHE points out that her first job was actually in musical theatre when she was six. Then she moved into TV and now is back on stage in Cinderella.

“I love theatre because it’s live, especially musicals. I love musicals. You don’t get that buzz you get in theatre when you do TV. I do love working in TV as well,” she says.

Whatever she does now, she’ll always be associated with Tracy Beaker. It took over your life, I suggest.

“Yes, it did and it still does take over my life, to be honest. It was a great thing to do. It’s got me where I am now, so I can’t complain.”

She’s moved on from Tracy, although being cast in the abortive Disco Inferno theatre tour wasn’t a happy experience.

She was rehearsing with co-stars Sam Attwater and Javine Hylton when the production, which was set to visit to Darlington Civic Theatre, was cancelled.

“We were so devastated because we were having such a good time on it. I don’t want that to ever happen to a cast again. It could have been a great success had we had the right people backing it.”

The Barbican panto marks her first time as Cinderella, although she thinks her first panto was as a juvenile dancer when she was about seven.

“This is the first time I’ve played a princess. Normally I’m Peter Pan so it makes a nice change not to be a boy this year.

I’m with my best friend Joe Trancini as well. So that’s really good.

“I’m going to head back home for Christmas Day because I hate being without my family. Wherever I am at Christmas I always make it home.”

With intensive Strictly training she’s going to be busy in the coming weeks. “I love being busy, I love working, I’m a workaholic,” she says.

Her first dance is a waltz. She’s really looking forward to the salsa, then adds, “But I’m looking forward to learning all of it really”.

After all the contestants spent time together to rehearse, she’s missing the others now they train in separate places. “It’s horrible really because we’ve all grown so close having to work with each other for quite a while on the group dance. We’re all constantly texting and tweeting each other to make sure we’re getting on all right.”

Everyone may be “really supportive” but surely she wants to win and take home the Strictly glitterball.

“Everyone would like to win, but it’s the taking part that counts because I’m honestly having such a good time. It would be horrible to see anyone leave. I hope I’m not the first one.”

  •  Strictly Come Dancing, BBC1, Friday, 9pm.
  •  Cinderella, York Barbican, December 21- 30. Box Office: 0844- 8542757 and yorkpanto.co.uk