EXCLUSIVE: Strictly's Molly Rainford's huge fear in relationship with Lorraine presenter
Molly Rainford and her beau Tyler West, who. met on Strictly in 2022, open up on the adventure of a lifetime - and why they're not rushing the wedding planning
Molly Rainford and Tyler West might not have lifted the Strictly Glitterball in 2022, but after finding true love, they still very much won. Three years after meeting on the BBC dancing competition, the EastEnders actress and radio and TV presenter are loved-up, living together and, as of this summer, engaged. We catch up with them ahead of another joint TV appearance – competing to be crowned champions of this year’s Celebrity Race Across The World.
At 24 and 29, Molly and Tyler are the youngest couple in the line-up, which also features Anita Rani and her dad Bal, brother and sister Roman and Harleymoon Kemp, and Hollyoaks ’ actor Dylan Llewellyn with his mum Jackie. But just because they have age on their side, they insist the journey across the Caribbean and Pacific coast of Central America was not a walk in the park. As well as some incredible highs – including a picture-postcard beach in Panama and their fill of exquisite Caribbean delicacies – it also had its fair share of lows…
So guys, what made you say “yes” to the show?!
Molly: We never did a gap year, we’ve both been working since we were very young. So Race Across The World is like a fast-track gap year where you get to see places you’ve never seen before.
Tyler: Booking a holiday, it’s usually a resort to go switch off for a week. You wouldn’t necessarily pick a small remote town in the middle of Mexico. That’s the beauty of the race, it’s opened our eyes up to a different sort of travel.
Did you have any hesitations about doing it together?
Tyler: People said to us beforehand, “I don’t think I could do that with my partner” because they’d drive each other up the wall. So yes we thought about what we’d do if we argued, because we don’t normally, but actually it just brought us closer together.
Molly: It was actually a chance to enjoy uninterrupted time together. We had conversations that weren’t about what food to eat or schedules!
Were you given any advice from people who know you best?
Tyler: Mum said straight away, “Watch out because Tyler needs to eat, or he’ll get hangry.” She was spot on.
Molly: We’re big foodies, so lots of the advice was about food!
You’re the youngest celebrities this year. Did it give you an edge?
Molly: I really didn’t want us to be the young couple who runs out of money or loses our passports! I went into it feeling like we had something to prove – that being young doesn’t mean we’re naive.
Tyler: Everyone in the race has travelled more than me and Molly, that was daunting. We’ve been a bit guilty of going to a beach club in Marbella on our travels! But you quickly realise it’s all about the decision-making, luck, and things out of your control.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Molly: I’m naturally a very indecisive person, and I knew that would be a struggle. Tyler’s very impulsive, whereas I need all the facts to make the decision. The more we did it, the more we found the middle ground.
Do you have a favourite race moment?
Molly: It kicked off on our anniversary, so I don’t know if the universe sent it our way at that specific time. We entered our third year together starting a completely new journey together.
Were there any stand-out struggles?
Molly: I had a particularly low moment but I won’t describe it – it’s gross. Let’s say it was stomach related! I turned to Tyler and said, “You can’t leave me now, because if you did, I don’t think anybody will love me ever again!”.
And what about you, Tyler?
Tyler: There was one border control that I found really tough. In my past I’ve witnessed a lot of bad things and gone through a lot of trauma, so I’ve grown up throughout my life going “It’s OK, I’m in control, I’m the protector, it’s fine.” If I’m in a situation here in the UK where I don’t feel totally safe, I can pick up a phone and get us out of there. But when you’re out of your comfort zone, without a phone, having to rely on the people who are the same people looking shady, it’s different.
Molly: In London you’re savvy to dangers, but this is a different world you don’t know anything about, that’s where the fear comes from.
Tyler: I’m protective over Molls, and vice versa. There were times when I was in a really bad way and Molly was an absolute rock.
Has it changed your outlook, Tyler?
Tyler: I feel completely different now. One phrase we heard a lot in Mexico was “manana manana” which means “we’ll worry about that tomorrow, relax”. I’ve taken that mantra with me. I’m more chilled if things don’t go to plan. As long as we’re together, it’ll all be alright.
With so much going on, have you managed to watch this year’s Strictly ?
Molly: Yes! I still get equally as nervous for them. Like, I sit there absolutely sweating and panicking! You relive it when you watch it. It feels like a different time though, it’s a bit out-of-body watching it now.
Tyler: Yeah, I can’t believe we did it.
You’ve been together for two years. Can you remember the moment you felt the first sparks?
Molly: When Tyler got his first 10 on Strictly I said, “Congrats on the 10”, and he replied, “I’m looking at a 10 right now!”.
Tyler: I remember going behind the curtain, thinking “Oh Gosh, you said that, get in!”.
Molly: Then we got back from the Strictly Live Tour and wanted to go on a normal date. We went to Bicester Village, then Nando’s. We were stuck in traffic on the way home for two hours doing Carpool Karaoke. I remember thinking, “OK, I like doing normal life with you.”
Tyler: In my half-broken Volkswagen Polo, having the best time!
How is it dating someone in the industry?
Molly: It actually couldn’t make more sense, especially tackling it together.
Tyler: Last year was a bit crazy. When I was covering on Kiss Breakfast I’d be up at 3am, and Molly would be home at midnight. So we weren’t even passing ships, we were just feeling some body warmth in a bed! But we made it work and had date mornings.
Congratulations on the engagement, too! Tyler, what made you decide it was time to pop the question?
Tyler: She’s my best friend. She’s made me feel more love in these past two years than I’ve experienced in my entire life. I proposed in Mykonos, and I was so chill and calm – it was the easiest, best decision of my life.
Molly: I had no clue. But when he asked, it was always going to be “Yes”. I was very emotional, I couldn’t stop crying.
Tyler: Every time we were out for lunch, Molly would burst into tears and people would look over. I had to say, “It’s happy tears guys, don’t worry!”.
Are wedding plans underway?!
Tyler: We said initially we weren’t going to do any planning and just live in a bubble for a bit, then the algorithm started sending us loads of wedding content! Wedding TikTok? Oh my days, we can sit there for three hours looking at it, there’s so much that goes into a wedding!
Molly: Some people get engaged and married within a year or two. But it seems stressful. I’d rather take it slow. You’re husband and wife for the rest of your lives. I want to soak this stage up.
Celebrity Race Across The World, Thursday 6 November, 8pm, BBC One and BBC iPlayer
* Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .