Helen Skelton has come clean on the 'real' reason she signed up to do Strictly Come Dancing this year, as her confidence got another boost on Friday night, when she finished joint top of the leaderboard and fans branded hero a 'warrior' and 'inspiration'.
As Strictly made the switch from Saturday to Friday for its quarter final, the pressure was on for ex Blue Peter presenter Helen and her pro partner Gorka Marquez to keep up their good run of form, which has so far evade the dance-off, as rivals like Molly Rainford and Fleur East have dropped into the bottom two on numerous occasions.
Later than most of the other couples left in the new series of Strictly, Helen and Gorka finally got to do their Couple's Choice on Friday as the show hosted its Musicals special. The pair, whose odds of winning the show are dropping all the time, performed to Mein Herr, from Cabaret, with Helen channelling her inner Liza Minelli for the show-stopping routine.
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But, before she and Gorka prompted rapturous applause from the Strictly audience for their latest performance, Helen opened up on the tough year she' had, following the break up of her marriage to ex husband Richie Myler, in an emotional piece to camera in the VT that preceded the dance.
Speaking in the rehearsal studio, Cumbrian native Helen, said: "I did Strictly this year because...sometimes you just need to jump on the opportunity and chance to put a big smile on your face."
Helen's parents then appeared on screen, with her mum saying: "It makes make very happy to see her dance as I can see, as the weeks have gone on, he' become more and more confident."
Helen was then filmed chatting to Gorka, as she told she "could never" have done a routine like the one she was preparing to do on Friday night, in week one, two or three.
Judge Anton Du Beke, who like Gorka, has willed Helen to believe in herself more, admitted he was left rather emotional watching her Couple's Choice, saying he loved seeing her really going for it and giving it her all. And, after all of the dancing was done and comments given, Helen and Gorka scored 39 out of 40, putting them joint top of the quarter final standings with Will Mellor and Nancy Xu.
Fans were full of praise for Helen as well, with one tweeting: "Helen Skelton is an understated warrior, that we should all be proud of," and another reacting: "Can someone please write the Helen Skelton Strictly Story musical? Because I really want to watch that! Total hero! I’ve never cheered a contestant on more!
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