“I think a lot of females struggle with body confidence and insecurities about their bodies,” she reflects, admitting candidly to New Idea: “It was something I didn’t think was going to come up for me. But it just sort of bubbled up to the surface when I wasn’t really expecting it.”
And as Sam says with a laugh, she’s always been a “heart-on-the-sleeve type of person”.
Indeed, the star admits she hesitated when she got the call to take part. “My gut told me I should do it straight away, but then I thought, ‘Can I really do this?’ There was definitely some apprehension,” Sam tells.
“But I spoke to the beautiful women who did it last year. They emphasised the fact that it’s for breast cancer awareness. The messaging and power behind doing something like this was definitely a driving force to say yes.”
There’s now no question for Sam that she made the right decision.
“We filmed the series over a period of six weeks and, from the beginning to the end of that, I certainly feel like I grew as a human being and that I did become more accepting of my body,” she says.
“We were constantly reminded every single day of why we were doing this. You realise your body is pretty amazing, and that you should love and accept it for all its flaws.”
And Sam will never forget performing the powerhouse Monty routine – and, of course, the big reveal – in front of a packed house.
“Beforehand, I was a nervous wreck,” she says.
“But once I was out there, it felt really empowering. I just felt so much joy. I’m so glad I said yes.”
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