IT WAS just an everyday trip to the supermarket to look at Christmas presents with a friend.

But little did Heather Parsons know that she was about to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience that would see her step inside the Strictly bubble.

Tonight millions will tune in to see the 53-year-old get the shock of her life in the shopping aisles of Sainsbury’s in Hedge End, when she was confronted with a host of dancers, including Russell Grant quickstepping towards her, in a shower of confetti.

To her surprise, her friend Alison Thompson had nominated her to take part in the People’s Strictly for Comic Relief, giving community heroes a chance to waltz on to the world’s most famous dance floor.

Since then Heather’s life has been a whirlwind of training, sequins and glitter balls, living the ultimate dancing dream and tonight will be the first of three programmes showing how they are coping with Strictly life.

She has been hitting the training room hard with her professional dance partner Ian Waite, who Strictly fans will be pleased to see back competing on the dance floor for the first time in four years.

They will be competing against five other couples in the fourth episode, in front of a live audience and the judges.

Mum-of-one Heather, from Romsey, said: “It is like being in love, you have that buzz in your stomach. I still cannot believe it is all happening.

“But there is also a tension, because although I adore it, I know that at the end of it all I am going to do this in front of lots of people and that is quite terrifying. Ian has taught me so beautifully, I want to go out there and show off how much work he has put into it.”

As previously reported, Strictly super fan Heather was nominated for the show for her charity work helping those who find themselves fighting for their lives in Southampton General Hospital’s intensive care unit – following her own near-death experience.

She set up the charity Where There's A Will, to raise thousands of pounds for follow-up support and rehabilitation for patients discharged from the city's unit.

Heather added: “I still don’t know why I have been chosen for this and at first I was a little worried that compared to my work in intensive care, this could all seem frivolous.

“But as soon as everyone found out, they have been so supportive and even families on the unit, who are going through really difficult times, are really excited, so I am doing it for them and to thank all the staff for saving me.

She and Ian will be performing a Viennese waltz, an elegant dance which Ian chose because it suited Heather’s height.

He said: “It is probably completely out of Heather’s comfort zone but she loved the idea of doing it.”

Excited about being back competing on Strictly Ian said: “For so many years people have been coming up to me asking me when was there going to be a Strictly for Joe Public as so many people wanted to it.

“So the great thing about this is that we have got people who are really worthy to be on this show. It is great for that reason and also because it is for Comic Relief and will be raising money for lots of good causes.”

  • To watch Heather tune into BBC1 at 9pm tonight.