Helen Skelton is feeling positive ahead of Strictly Come Dancing’s semi final – despite having an incredibly busy week.
The Countryfile star has been learning two new dances for the live show alongside presenting her Yorkshire-based Channel 5 show Winter on the Farm.
Helen and her professional dance partner Gorka Marquez will be performing an argentine tango to Here Comes The Rain Again by The Eurythmics and a waltz to Only One Road by Céline Dion.
The duo said in an Instagram video that they had been quiet on social media due to their jam-packed schedule. Helen added: “It’s just the week to do two dances, my brain is absolutely fried, but we’ve got this!”
Gorka responded to the star by saying the pair were still loving rehearsing despite the pressure and that they are slowly but surely getting there with their dances. The duo are now one of only five couples remaining in the competition.
They scored three 10s and a nine – topping the leaderboard with their second 39 of the series.
Speaking on It Takes Two, the star said her children had found her glamorous routine ’embarrassing’ but that her parents, who were sat in the front row, had loved every minute of it.
Helen said: “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.
“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.”
The semi-final will go ahead on Sunday at 7.15pm this week instead of Saturday, to make way for the World Cup. The results show will follow on Monday evening at 8.15pm.
To get through to the grand final and closer to the Glitterball trophy, Helen will need all the votes and support she can get from Cumbria.
To vote for Helen and Gorka this week, when the vote opens, shimmy over to the Strictly homepage. The vote can be found at the top of the page.
Fans can also vote online at www.bbc.co.uk/strictly or by scanning the QR code displayed on screen during the show with all the other voting information. The QR code can be scanned by mobile, tablet or computer.
For those who don’t want to vote online, voting by phone is still available. The phone numbers will be given out in the show and be made available on the Strictly homepage whilst the vote is open. Fans only half 30 minutes to cast their vote before the voting lines close.
