Helen Skelton had the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom in a frenzy last Friday night when she and Gorka Marquez performed a stellar routine during Musicals Week. The latest episode of the BBC One contest made an unusual move from its Saturday night slot due to the football meaning fans got their Strictly fix a whole 24 hours early.
And it was worth the early viewing for Countryfile host Helen and her professional dance partner alone as they pulled out all the stops with their Couple's Choice routine. Viewers and judges were blown away as the pair performed a sizzling routine to Mein Herr from the musical Cabaret during the quarter-final.
Mum-of-three Helen looked sensational in a black corseted outfit with smokey eye makeup, dark lipstick and with her blonde hair worn slicked back. And Gorka went all out with his attire too, donning his own corseted number with additional smokey make-up.
"Am I looking at a young lady who has grown from a timid, shy girl in week one to this sensual performance? I've got goosebumps," said head judge Shirley Ballas in her feedback before giving them a ten for the red hot routine. However, fans were left outraged when Craig Revel Horwood's score of nine meant Helen, 39, and Gorka, 32, fell one short of a perfect score.
"Obviously we would love to get a 40 but there's still another two weeks to go," Gorka said while chatting to Rylan Clark on Monday's It Takes Two. He and Helen appeared live from a farm where Helen was getting ready for her Channel 5 show, Winter on the Farm.
Spanish dancer Gorka went on: "We have another dance this week, I think the reaction we get from the audience from our fellow professionals, was just amazing. I'd rather get that reaction than a 40 any day." And the dad-of-one had nothing but praise for his dance parnter. "I think it's a style that really suits her," he said. "She got into the style so well. She smashed it, she was even better than me."
As fans went wild for the routine, which some viewers described as a "f**k you dance", Helen did have a few younger fans to think about at home and has now shared what her children thought of her saucy routine.
Speaking via video link from Cannon Hall Farm in South Yorkshire, Helen told Rylan: "We loved Friday night, we had an absolutely brilliant time, it was so much fun and the atmosphere in the studio is one of those things that will stay with me forever. My children said it was a bit weird for us and they were a little bit embarrassed but they were okay about it, my parents absolutely loved it. My mum was in the front row, she was just going mad wasn't she."
The former Blue Peter presenter added: "I think for all of our families it's nice for them to see us having a good time. Because we've had a great adventure, a great journey so far, obviously some bits are easier than others but when you're putting a lot of work in, when it comes together like it did the other night, it's just brilliant for us but brilliant for them as well isn't it."
It comes after fans have seen Helen go through a transition during a confidence-building time on the BBC One dance show following her split from husband Richie Myler in April, just four months after welcoming their third child Elsie Kate. In statement at the time Helen penned: "Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co parent our small children."
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