Helen Skelton has said she has "found her confidence on the dancefloor" as she prepares for the Strictly Come Dancing grand finale show. It comes after her co-star hit back at comments which referenced the Countryfile host's change throughout her time in the dance contest.
In a new column, former Strictly pro Joanne Clifton said Helen's journey in the dance contest was "like no other". Joanne, who won the show alongside Ore Oduba and is also the brother of another former Strictly star Kevin Clifton, went on to say of the former Blue Peter star: "The comparison from the beginning until now is indescribable.
"The confidence from musicals week needs to stay. The joy of Blackpool needs to stay. If she has a slower dance, the beautiful softness needs to stay. Watch the dances back, reimagine the feelings you had with them, and bring it all back onto that floor."
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But when the article was shared in a tweet, Jayde was quick to respond and point out many of former Blue Peter host Helen's achievements way before she made it to the Strictly final.
"Before #Strictly Helen was the 2nd woman only, to finish 78-mile Namibian ultra marathon 23h 45. Kayaked the Amazon, tightroped 150m over Battersea Power Station, cycled to the South Pole, TV, radio, sports career & had 3 babies one she birthed herself," she typed before adding: "Not confident? HAHAHAHA."
However, Helen herself has noticed a change in the last three months. Speaking ahead of the final, she reflected on her personal growth throughout the competition, telling the PA news agency: "Confidence is all relative, isn’t it?
"And challenges are all relative. But yes, I’ve definitely found my confidence on that dancefloor and I enjoy it and that’s what it’s about." And asked how she felt that some consider her a ‘sex symbol’ now, particularly following her sensational couple's choice routine during Mususcals Week, Helen praised her dance partner Gorka Marquez for how he has choreographed her.
The 39-year-old said: "I think you’re clever in that you’ve never made it about being sexy, it’s been about being sassy and powerful and being in control.
"And that’s a wonderfully freeing thing for anybody when they feel in control of their own selves and what they’re doing. So I don’t think it’s about being sexy, I think it’s about being confident in your own skin and being who you are."
Helen will compete in the final against Hamza Yassin, Fleur East and Molly Rainford. She and Gorka will perform three dances on Saturday (December 17) – the jive to Tightrope by Janelle Monae at the request of the judges, their couples choice routine to Mein Herr by Liza Minnelli (from Cabaret) and finally their show dance to Shine by Emeli Sande.
While the TV presenter admitted she would love full marks for one of their performances on Saturday, she said she feels they have already received one through the excited reception from the other dancers.
She said: "I take on board what the judges say and I respect what they say, I have a lot of respect for all of them, but actually the thing for me that is a 40 is getting up to Claudia’s area and you have (professional dancers) Karen (Hauer), Luba (Mushtuk), Katya (Jones) all going crazy and I’m like ‘That’s our 40′.
“When they say things and you’re like ‘Oh wow thank you’ and that reaction is worth 60/70/80 points to me.” And Helen added that her aim for joining the show was so that her family would be “proud” and “happy” as she feels they have also been part of the journey.
She has three children with her ex-husband rugby league player Richie Myler. In April, she announced on Instagram that they were “no longer a couple” months after welcoming their daughter, Elsie Kate.
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