Strictly's Helen Skelton was not concerned about coming into the show "baring her soul" after the sudden end to her eight-year marriage left her "battle-hardened". The Countryfile presenter, 39, was said to have been blindsided after her husband, Leeds Rhinos star Richie Myler, left the family home in April.
This came at a time when their youngest, Elsie Kate, was just four months old, reports Chronicle Live. Richie and Helen, who wed in 2013, are also parents to seven-year-old Ernie and five-year-old Louis.
Soon after ending his relationship with Helen, Richie began a relationship with Stephanie Thirkill, 32, whose dad is Rhinos president Andrew Thirkill, and news of their pregnancy surfaced in October. “I came into this show quite battle-hardened," she admitted.
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“Strictly is probably quite overwhelming for a lot of people but for me, weirdly, I was actually in the best place to be in it. Other people were worried about all the attention that comes with being on Strictly, or baring their souls on the telly, whereas I was ready for that."
Helen added during a chat with The Sun that she is happy that people can talk more now about their mental health, but hopes that people are better able to speak about how they can address their mental health. “I’ve always seen my brain as being like a muscle — one which I need to exercise to keep my head in check," she said.
“So that’s what Strictly is doing for me, it really is. It’s the most brilliant, all-consuming thing to be a part of.”
Helen went on to say that she loves that her family are having a great time through her as she takes part in Strictly. “I decided to do it because I wanted to have some [fun]," she said. "I’d been asked before but always said no. And then this year they asked me last-minute — they were already announcing people when they approached me again.
“My friends made me do it, and this time around I had nothing holding me back, so I said yes."
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