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Matt Goss has revealed that he’s happy to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing ahead of Halloween week, as his rare condition meant he would be uncomfortable getting dressed up in costumes.
The 54-year-old 1980s pop singer suffers from Poland syndrome – a condition in which affected individuals are born with missing or underdeveloped muscles on one side of the body, resulting in abnormalities that can affect the chest, shoulder, arm and hand .
And in a candid new interview, Matt revealed that he’s “not as confident as people think,” while opening up on the condition that he sometimes felt “a weirdo.”
Canid: Matt Goss has revealed he’s happy he was eliminated Strictly for Halloween week, as his rare condition meant he would be uncomfortable getting dressed in costume
Matt and pro partner Nadiyah Byckova were voted out of the BBC show in week four, after meeting Kym Marsh and Graziano Di Prima in the dance-off.
And despite the star getting emotional at the time as the third celebrity to leave the competition, on reflection, he noted that he’s glad he left when he did.
He told the mirror: ‘I really think it was good to leave just before Halloween. I am a confident man, but aesthetically and only me, I am not as confident as people think.
Condition: The 54-year-old 1980s pop singer suffers from Poland syndrome – a condition in which affected individuals are born with missing or underdeveloped muscles on one side of the body
The artist told the publication that dressing up in costumes may have been “difficult” for him, as his condition sometimes makes him feel “weird” and uncomfortable with his appearance.
The birth defect is characterized by an underdeveloped pectoral muscle and is more common in males, with Poland syndrome believed to affect between 1 in 20,000 and 1 in 100,000.
He added: ‘I have Poland syndrome, so I only have one pectoral muscle that has been brought to the attention of many people, so I’m glad that Poland syndrome [was brought to people’s attention]. I remember sitting down and tears falling from my eyes watching the Olympics being named and not named.
A charity for Poland syndrome said they had never had so much publicity and an 85-year-old man said he didn’t know what it was called until he read the piece. Because people look at you and it’s like ‘what’s going on’ you feel like a madman and now I feel like I am who I am.”
The when will I be famous? hitmaker also shared that despite his charisma on stage, he struggled to show his emotional side on the show, noting that you should “reveal yourself at our own pace.”
He added that he began to come out of his shell “ironically” at the time of his elimination, before adding that the reception and kind words from the public had been “stunning”.
Last month, Matt shared that the challenges of appearing on the hit TV show had improved his attitude and confidence.
Matt, who is trying to make people aware of the Poland syndrome he has had since birth, said he has not been “disadvantaged” by the way he has handled the demanding dance routines of Strictly shows.
During a week of the show, the judges were criticized by some fans for hitting the Bros singer too hard after Anton du Beke compared his frame to an “unmade bed.”
But Goss, who collaborated on the program with Ukrainian dancer Nadiya Bychkova, said: “My attitude has improved since I’ve been on Strict.
‘I want to say to the jury that I want to improve this through you and I am proud of my attitude. I want to thank them. This is a journey for me – I’m getting stronger every week.’
Honest: In a candid new interview, Matt revealed he’s ‘not as confident as people think’, as he opened on the condition that he felt ‘crazy’ at times
Farewell: Matt and pro partner Nadiyah Byckova were voted out on week four of the BBC show, after meeting Kym Marsh and Graziano Di Prima in the dance-off
He added that he felt “elegant” in his dance and that he thought his grandparents, who inspired the routine, would be proud of what he had achieved.
He paid tribute to the show’s “very caring” costume team who produce his outfits.
“It’s been one of my favorite things about the Strictly experience,” he said. “The costume team were relative strangers at first, but from the start they’ve always been very nice and discreet – it really touched me.
Truth: “I really think leaving just before Halloween was probably okay. I’m a confident man, but aesthetically and only me, I’m not as confident as people think’
“I have one pectoral muscle on the right side instead of two. The bottom one is missing but the top one is fine and strong.
“When I have a coat made, he pulls more on the right side. I have it tight on my right side so that it counterbalances on my left side. Slim tailoring is good for me and my fashion is determined by my breast shape.’
Goss also revealed that with his newfound confidence, he plans to recreate famous Bros photos from the 1980s. “No one will ever notice, but I often posed for that side of my chest,” he said.
“After Strictly I plan to take those pictures again and show my chest. Those original photos tell a story – I was self-conscious then.’
Tough: The singer also shared that despite his charisma on stage, he struggled to show his emotional side on the show, noting that you should “reveal yourself at our own pace”