From a young age, professional dancer Dianne Buswell was obsessed with hair. “I started dyeing my hair when I was quite young,” she recalls, “I was fascinated with colour and I used to style, cut and colour my Barbies’ hair.

“I actually remember for Easter most years, my mum would ask which Easter egg I wanted and I just really wanted hair colour, so mum would buy me a box hair colour instead of an Easter egg.”

Not many are aware of Buswell’s life before the glitz and glam of Strictly Come Dancing, but the professional dancer was actually a hairdresser back in her native Australia. “I had two dreams,” noted Buswell, “dancing and becoming a hairdresser – I’m thrilled to have achieved both.”

Her journey to the iconic red shade she’s now known for wasn’t instantaneous, “I always liked an undertone of red [in my hair], but when I went bright red for a dance show, something clicked,” Buswell notes. “I felt different – more fiery, more passionate. It changed the way I danced.”

Schwarzkopf Live’s Pillar Box Red became her go-to shade, and she hasn’t looked back since. “It’s surprisingly hard to find the perfect red,” she says. “Once you find it, you stick to it. People think red is just red, but there are so many shades, and this one just works for me.”

It’s her bold colour that has helped her stand out in her dancing career, particularly on Strictly. “It’s given me that extra pizzazz and confidence. People recognise me as ‘the red-haired girl’, and it’s become a part of my identity,” she says. “But more than that, it’s how it makes me feel – vibrant and confident.”

The world of dance wreaks havoc on hair, as Buswell notes, “Heat takes a massive toll and is something I really notice.

“I think it’s really important to keep up on your heat protection. Do as much as you can, to sort of help and eliminate the heat damage.”

When it comes to maintaining the thickness of her iconic red mane, Buswell stresses the importance of a good haircare routine, particularly for coloured hair. “A good shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair are essential. Regular trims are vital. The hair sort of snaps from from the bottom and then works its way up, so if you get rid of those split ends, then your hair is going to continue to grow.”

“You always hear people go, ‘I can’t get across a certain length,’ it’s sometimes because the hair is actually snapping from the bottom up. So regular cuts are important.”

Buswell’s red do has not only become part of her identity – but her comfort blanket. “Maybe one day I’ll go back to a more natural shade,” she says, “but right now, it’s hard to part with the red. It’s more than just a colour – it’s my comfort blanket.”

Buswell’s eye-catching hair and dazzling dancing makes her strikingly prominent both on and off the dance floor. And with Strictly soon returning to our screens, she’s sure to make an impact.

Get Dianne’s iconic colour:

Schwarzkopf LIVE Pillar Box Red 092 Semi-Permanent Hair Dye, £5.50 (was £7), Boots

Schwarzkopf LIVE Colour Drops Semi-Permanent Red Hair Dye Fiery Red – 30ml, £6 (was £8), Boots

Schwarzkopf Keratin Heat Protect Spray, £4.80, Superdrug