Former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton put on a red hot display on the Strictly dancefloor on Friday night. Viewers and judges were blown away by Helen and Gorka Marquez's couple's choice dance, with head judge Shirley Ballas exclaiming: "Am I looking at a mummy of three?"
Helen, 39, and Gorka, 32, performed a sizzling routine to Mein Herr from the musical Cabaret for the quarter-final. The Countryfile presenter oozed confidence in a black corseted outfit with smokey eye makeup, dark lipstick and with her blonde hair worn slicked back.
"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 Shirley. As the praise poured in, one fan @charliecomms1 tweeted: "That was Helen's f**k you dance wasn't it #Strictly." And Ellie Ketteringham shared on Instagram: "To quote @ladtdirevengelooks 'revenge is best served red hot.'"
READ MORE:
Last weekend Helen broke down in tears in a heartbreaking scenes as she reflected on her dance journey. In a VT clip aired before their samba performance, she cried as she told Gorka: "I definitely am a different person from when we started."
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 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."
Speaking on spin-off show I Takes Two last week she explained about her Strictly journey: "I came into this and I underestimated it because I thought 'it's dancing and nice dresses and interesting people.' But it's weird, it's so much more than that. It makes you ask questions of yourself you don't want to ask."
She continued: "I'm a 39-year-old woman with three kids. You do your job and your relationships and your house and career and all of that and you don't really just challenge yourself and find joy in yourself. So it's been a rollercoaster of emotions I didn't expect."
Their coupl'e choice dance received rapturous applause from the Strictly Come Dancing audience, fellow celeb contestants and pro dancers, but fans were left complaining that Helen was "robbed" of a perfect score of 40 from the four judges as sharp-tongued Craig Revel Horwood opted for the 9 score paddle instead of 10.
@scddevereaux tweeted: "Calling the BBC to complain about helen being robbed of a 40 AGAIN #strictly."CountingStars28 said: "Craig, you gave Fleurs couple choice a 10 and lets be honest it was a Beyonce impersonation with lots of booty shaking, yet Helen’s couple choice wasn’t worth a 10?! WHAT PLANET ARE YOU ON!!!!!!"
@MarianSutherla4 wrote: "Helen was the star of the show, thanks to Gorka. Criminal that Craig didn’t score her a 10!" @ahall230 messaged: "Sorry, Craig, but you were wrong not giving Helen a 10. That was a sensational performance. Definitely the best of the series so far." And @SharonHall65 said: "Helen was nothing short of spectacular, Craig needs to find his 10 paddle."
Helen shared her gratitude to Gorka as she shared a snap of the pair pulling faces in a break from training as she wrote on her Instagram: "Gratitude post .. the one who doesn't get the credit for getting me on the dancefloor ... there's a reason people love yoy @gorka_marquez #legend." And Gorka replied: "Grateful to be your partner."
READ NEXT:
