Footage from 2024 has resurfaced after the Prime Minister said on Gogglebox that he gets a “clang of anxiety” whenever he hears the song.
Newly unearthed video shows Andy Burnham dancing a salsa to Ricky Martin’s Livin’ La Vida Loca at a fundraising event for Rob Burrow, the late rugby league player who had motor neurone disease (MND). The footage dates from 2024, when Mr Burnham was Mayor of Greater Manchester. He danced with the professional dancer Cara Tighe. It came to light after he spoke about the performance on a charity edition of Channel 4’s Gogglebox. On the show he admitted the song gives him a “clang of anxiety”, after watching Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley dance a salsa on Strictly Come Dancing.
What Burnham said
Mr Burnham said: “I did this for Rob Burrow. Honestly, never, ever again.”
He did say which song he would pick if he were ever asked on Strictly. “I could go on Strictly, I could do it with a Manchester icon, I think I’d do Sit Down by James,” he said. The song was released by the Manchester band James in 1989 and is closely associated with the city’s music scene.
Where the dance took place
According to the research notes, the performance was at the Burrow Strictly Ball, not the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. It was held on Saturday 20 April 2024 in the Empress Ballroom at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. Burrow’s sisters, Joanne Hartshorne and Clare Burnett, who competed in ballroom and Latin dancing for about 30 years, organised it. Ten celebrities took part, including Mr Burnham and the then West Yorkshire mayor, Tracy Brabin. It was billed as a friendly Yorkshire-Lancashire rivalry. The Yorkshire Post lists other participants as the former rugby league internationals Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Danika Priim, the presenter Amy Garcia and the comedian Billy Pearce.
The event supported three causes: the Rob Burrow Centre, the MND Association and the Rob Burrow Discretionary Fund. Burrow died in June 2024. The notes could not find Mr Burnham’s individual fundraising total, any judges’ scores or where he finished, and the second ball’s final total is unconfirmed. An earlier ball at Headingley Stadium in March 2022 raised more than £85,000.
The centre
The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease opened on 3 November 2025 at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says it is the UK’s first purpose-built centre bringing together MND care, research, education and support. Construction began in June 2024, the day after Burrow’s death was announced. The fundraising campaign, launched in September 2021, reached its £6.8m target in December 2024, with more than 17,000 donors, according to Leeds Hospitals Charity. Kevin Sinfield played a major part through endurance challenges.
Prince William formally opened the centre on 20 November 2025. He met Burrow’s widow, Lindsey, their children, Mr Sinfield, clinicians and people living with MND. On 5 August this year, Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper visited and announced plans to tackle delays and fragmented support for people with MND. The charity says it is still raising money for equipment, research and extra services.
The Gogglebox appearance
Mr Burnham appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox with Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram, as part of the Stand Up To Cancer campaign. Both Labour politicians were filmed reacting to television from inside Downing Street. A teaser introduced them as “good friends Andy and Steve”. The source says Mr Burnham is the first Prime Minister to appear on the show. Other guests included Stanley Tucci, Paul Whitehouse, Joe Lycett and the Sugababes.
They watched emotional films about cancer patients. One covered Callum, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged 15. Another covered Shona, who had cervical cancer, and her husband Will, who had bowel cancer. Mr Burnham said: “I just couldn’t imagine” and “it’s devastating for that family”. He added: “The only thing that does give some hope is there is so much incredible research going on, and some of the main cancers of years ago, there’s been such big progress on them. But it’s utter devastation, isn’t it, if you’re that couple I don’t know how you cope with that.”
According to the notes, Downing Street said the programme was filmed outside working hours. The sofa reportedly dated from Sir Keir Starmer’s time, and the curtains from Theresa May’s. Mr Burnham brought blue cushions and a throw from his Manchester home. Stand Up To Cancer says it has raised more than £127m since 2012, funding 73 clinical trials and research projects involving more than 13,000 patients. That is a campaign total, not what the programme raised.
Badenoch’s criticism
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch questioned whether the Prime Minister should be taking part, citing the Government’s advice to the public to stockpile food, water and other essentials. “I don’t mind them giving advice,” she said. “I worry that between the PM being on Gogglebox and then talking about stockpiling canned goods, they’re not actually doing the really difficult stuff that will protect the country.”
Mr Burnham said he would “make no apology” for trying to “lead with a bit of lightness”. He said he was “proud” to support Stand Up To Cancer. “That’s the way I go at things and connect with people as best I can,” he said. “And perhaps if a few more people watch it tonight and then support Stand Up To Cancer, that will be job done.”
