'Bachelor' stirrer to try dance moves

Chrystal Chenery. Photo / Doug Sherring

Sassy Chrystal Chenery has gone from sharing the catwalk with Elle Macpherson to becoming the new queen of Kiwi reality TV.

The 30-year-old's carefree, no-nonsense attitude polarised opinion when she starred on The Bachelor NZ. On the show, she told lead Arthur Green she wanted to punch him.

Chenery - who was once on the same fashion show stage as Macpherson - now can't wait to bring her motormouth style to Dancing with the Stars.

"Maybe the show needs a stirrer," she told the Herald on Sunday. "Everyone else has a career to protect and I don't have too much to lose. I am just going to be myself so there might be a few moments when I say to myself, 'Let me put my bitch pants on for a second'."

Chenery edged out former supermodel Kylie Bax as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars and will partner Jonny Williams, right. Other celebrity contestants include former Shortland Street actress Teuila Blakely, boxer Shane Cameron, and The Almighty Johnsons star Ben Barrington.

Chenery has been training up to six hours a day with Williams for the show. The Christchurch yoga teacher admitted learning the routines was tough, as her previous experience was limited to night club dance floors.

Chrystal Chenery and Jonny Williams from Dancing With The Stars.

"I'm using muscles I didn't know existed," she said. "I have been pretty sore in the mornings after jiggling for the cameras but I am determined Jonny and I will win.

"I also have to make sure I eat enough during rehearsals because if I don't, when I do a spin I forget everything. My brain switches off."

Chenery insisted she did not set out to carve out a career in reality television but she wouldn't mind fronting her own show.

"I would love to do a travel series where I tell the truth about what I think of the place," she said.

Chenery didn't mind polarising viewers on The Bachelor NZ. Some had hit out at her on-screen style on social media during the series.

TV3 confirmed on Tuesday it would produce a second The Bachelor NZ.