Helen Skelton has praised her "freeing" Strictly Come Dancing stint as she gears up for the finale this weekend. The 38-year-old has praised the BBC ballroom dancing show for helping her get her confidence back, after her marriage broke down earlier this year.
The Countryfile presenter tied the knot with rugby league player Richie Myler in 2013, and they separated this April - just four months after Helen had given birth to their third child. Helen was heartbroken when Richie ended their eight-year marriage, before it was announced that he was expecting a child with his new-girlfriend Stephanie Thirkill.
Helen and Richie share their newborn daughter Elsie Kate, as well as sons, Ernie, six, and Louis, four. Speaking to RadioTimes.com ahead of the Strictly grand finale this Saturday, Helen praised the show for helping her regain her confidence and feel empowered.
She said: "I've definitely found my confidence on that dance floor and I enjoy it, and that's what it was about. I think every week, we get so many messages from people who share things about their life and that's the ultimate humbling thing.
"It's a privilege to be in people's living rooms on a Saturday night and it's a privilege when they share things and if one person has thought, 'Oh, I'm going to put myself out of my comfort zone,' or 'I'm going to take on something difficult,' that we've done our job."
When asked whether she expected to be a symbol for empowerment, sass and sexiness, she said: "No, it's all relative. Everyone has confidence in different ways.
"I was having a chat with Claudia [Winkleman] one day and we were saying not everyone can strut down the high street in high heels and a dress but maybe you're confident in talking about politics or writing books or whatever."
She praised her professional dance partner Gorka Márquez for not making her Strictly experience about being 'sexy', but helped her focus on being "sassy, powerful and being in control".
"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."
She continued: "It's been a wonderfully liberating thing to just be happy in your own skin, in your own shoes and doing whatever walk you do."
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final will air live on Saturday at 7.15pm, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here .
