The singer, who was one-third of the 80s boyband sensation, is among the 15 famous faces in this year’s line-up for the hit BBC One contest, starting next month. His beloved mother Carol, who died in 2014, was a huge Strictly fan and Matt selected the date of her birthday last week to announce he will be taking part.
And speaking exclusively to the Sunday Express, Matt, 53, revealed the heartbreaking truth behind why he left a recordbreaking Las Vegas residency to compete for the glitterball trophy.
He said: “I revealed my place in the lineup on Monday, my mum’s birthday – this date has huge significance for me.
“She always watched Strictly and I would have loved more than anything to have her here, to see me step back into pop culture and the next chapter in my career.”
When Matt’s mother was struck down with breast cancer, he brought her to Los Angeles to care for her.
He admits she was always desperate for him to be truly happy and would have been overjoyed to see him cracking a genuine smile on her favourite TV show.
He explained: “Her last words to me were, ‘I just want to see you smile from your eyes again.’
“I’ve got the worst fake smile and she always knew I was carrying pain throughout a lot of my career. She knew my supposed joy and smile wasn’t always what it appeared, that I wasn’t always happy amid the success. I just wish I could share this with her.
“I feel in a safe space now and that this is the right moment for me.”
Matt is in no doubt Carol would have encouraged his decision to quit the States and relocate to Britain this year.
His success there has been so great that casino giants Caesars Palace, The Palms and The Mirage have all signed him for exclusive performances over the past decade.
“Returning from Las Vegas after so many years of success and a long-running show is a big move,” he said.
“But I know it is the right one and that I have built the right team around me.This is what she would want.”
Matt and twin brother Luke took the world by storm 30 years ago when the Bros phenomenon hit the charts with the unforgettable hit singles When Will I Be Famous? and I Owe You Nothing. Their pal Craig Logan completed the pop trio.
Bros sold a staggering 16 million records and 77,000 screaming fans filled Wembley in 1989 to see them.
The supportive role that Luke plays in Matt’s life has not changed to this day.
“Luke is the person who knows me best. He understands we’re both incredibly private people.
“But when I told him about Strictly, he said it was going to be great for me.
“He understands it could be difficult – I’m going into a place of complete judgment, having been in the industry for so long – but I find that aspect quite funny.
“Music, playing in these huge stadiums, has such immediacy. To leap back into a place of judgment like Strictly is kind of amusing to me.”
This weekend he has released his new single Are You Ready, an infectious summer dancefloorfiller, showcasing his trademark golden vocals.
“My songs are everything. Are You Ready makes people dance but music can truly do anything.
“My biggest fear is losing the people I love, so I also turned that into a song – The Beautiful Unknown. It shows my greatest lesson; I am learning to believe that what we don’t know can actually be a beautiful thing.
“We tend to want to be in control of everything. But sometimes what we don’t know can end up being the most miraculously wonderful experience.
“I just want to live by my own lyric, to trust the unknown.
“I’ve not felt safe for a long time. Dare I say, I’m starting to feel safe? Yes, and that means emotionally safe as well.”
Matt is also fully prepared for the notoriously tough physical demands of competing on Strictly. He added: “I’ve been hitting the punch bag even more than usual.
“I’m not going to compete with the other contestants, I’m just going to compete with myself.
“I just want to do it for me, to change shape mentally, physically, emotionally, and I want to get stronger.
“And I also want to learn, that is what really excites me.
“My mum was such a fan of the show and I’ll be there in her honour.”
Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton was yesterday announced as the 15th and final contestant for Strictly 2022.
Helen, 39, said she is “really excited to get stuck into a fun adventure”.
“Music, playing in these huge stadiums, has such immediacy. To leap back into a place of judgment like Strictly is kind of amusing to me.”
This weekend he has released his new single Are You Ready, an infectious summer dancefloorfiller, showcasing his trademark golden vocals.
“My songs are everything. Are You
Ready makes people dance but music can truly do anything.
“My biggest fear is losing the people I love, so I also turned that into a song – The Beautiful Unknown. It shows my greatest lesson; I am learning to believe that what we don’t know can actually be a beautiful thing.
“We tend to want to be in control of everything. But sometimes what we don’t know can end up being the most miraculously wonderful experience.
“I just want to live by my own lyric, to trust the unknown.
“I’ve not felt safe for a long time. Dare I say, I’m starting to feel safe? Yes, and that means emotionally safe as well.”
Matt is also fully prepared for the notoriously tough physical demands of competing on Strictly. He added: “I’ve been hitting the punch bag even more than usual.
“I’m not going to compete with the other contestants, I’m just going to compete with myself.
“I just want to do it for me, to change shape mentally, physically, emotionally, and I want to get stronger.
“And I also want to learn, that is what really excites me.
“My mum was such a fan of the show and I’ll be there in her honour.”
Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton was yesterday announced as the 15th and final contestant for Strictly 2022.
Helen, 39, said she is “really excited to get stuck into a fun adventure”.
