The show's frontrunner, Alexandra, has revealed her personal battle as she looks ahead to Blackpool
She may be the favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing 2017, but singer and former X Factor champion Alexandra Burke had admitted she struggles with nerves on Saturday nights. While we're relaxed at home, watching her rack up incredible scores from the judges, she's doubting herself in her dressing room.
"It’s an amazing feeling to get 10s, it’s overwhelming and brilliant, but you’re only as good as your last performance and I live by that," she has told TV Times.
"You’ve got to bring something new to each dance and do it justice. I always worry about nerves getting in the way or having a mind blank – I completely froze in one of the dress rehearsals a few weeks ago. The worst was the week we opened the show with the cha cha, I was convinced I was going to be terrible.
"I stayed in my dressing room before the show, put the lavender oil in my diffuser to help with the anxiety and practiced my technique over and over. My lovely make-up lady had to tell me to stop overthinking it! I suffer from nerves quite badly anyway, and I got really bogged down by them that night. Nothing beats the feeling of dancing out there with Gorka, so I just want to do myself proud."
Alexandra insisted that her experience as a singer doesn't help her combat the dancing demons. "It’s just different. If you gave me a microphone I’d still be nervous but I’d know what to do because I sing for a living. People think because I go on stage to sing I’ll be fine, but it's not the same. It would be awful to forget a move on Strictly."
This weekend, Alexandra and her fellow celebrities will be performing at Blackpool's Tower Ballroom for the show's annual special. She can't wait to grace the huge sprung dance floor. "It's a Strictly milestone and all the pros talk about how amazing it is there, so you dream of performing on that show."
Strictly Come Dancing continues this Saturday on BBC1 at 6.45pm.
