Helen Skelton made an emotional post on social media as the Strictly Come Dancing live tour arrived in Newcastle on Wednesday afternoon, vowing to 'make more memories' in a city she holds close to her heart.
The confetti has well and truly settled on another series of the hit BBC show, with victory in December going the way of Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal. Helen established herself as a real fan favourite, overcoming a crippling lack of self confidence to make it all the way to the final alongside pro partner Gorka Marquez.
Having never been in the bottom two, Helen and Gorka went into the Strictly final as second favourites and many Strictly fans believe they would have pushed Hamza and Jowita all the way for the Glitterball trophy. Sadly for those hoping to see Helen and Gorka recreate their fantastic partnership at arenas across the country, Gorka turned down the opportunity to do this year's tour to spend time with newly pregnant fiancée Gemma Atkinson and daughter Mia.
Fellow Strictly pro Kai Widdrington was called in to replace Gorka and his new partnership with with Helen has paid dividends so far, with them winning seven shows, after the tour called in at Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Nottingham, before heading up the rad to Tyneside.
Will Mellor and Nancy Xu are level pegging with Helen and Kai, having also won seven shows, with Hamza and Jowita the only other couple to win so far.
Helen clearly has a real fondness for Newcastle as, snapping a shot of the Tyne Bridge from her hotel and posting it straight onto her Instagram story, the former Blue Peter host wrote: "So many memories here...let's make some more."
The Strictly tour begins its run at the Utilita Arena on Wednesday night, before matinee and evening performances on Thursday.
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