Strictly Come Dancing star Fleur East has called for a major format shake-up to the BBC ballroom dancing show at this year’s Pride of Britain awards.
Fleur and dance partner Vito Coppola celebrated Eurovision during their routine over the weekend, dancing the jive to Abba's Waterloo to score a total of 32 points from the judging panel.
However, Fleur was saved from the dreaded dance-off, which ultimately saw Jayde Adams become the fifth celebrity eliminated from the competition after a nail biting decision from the judging panel.
Fleur has now commented on the series of shock exits in the early stages of the show this year, telling The Mirror it prompted her to call for a format shake-up.
Speaking at the Pride of Britain awards, the radio DJ said: “I guess when there's so many of us in the early stages it's hard to know who to vote for.”
She added: “It's really tough. I said that they should just change the format and have 15 at the start, every week, and then at the final they just do one vote and then they win. It's just because we're all close.”
Fleur went on to praise partner Vito as ‘amazing’ following the pair’s high scores on the show.
She said: “He's so good. I'm absolutely loving it, to be honest. After being in the dance-off in week three I was like, ‘No, I really want to be here!’
“I've got a feeling of what it's like to nearly not be here. I'm like, 'I'm not done yet!'”
Fleur also praised the ‘amazing’ awards, which returned for yet another year to celebrate the nation's everyday heroes and their bravery.
She said: “It's so humbling because you get to come here and celebrate people risking their lives and sacrificing so much for others.
“You just watch it and it reminds you of how amazing people can be.”
The annual awards, which have taken place since 1999 in association with The Prince’s Trust, is considered one of the most heartwarming and emotional nights of the year.
Every year, several well-known faces from celebrities, politicians and sports icons come together to celebrate the bravery and selflessness of the winners.
Carol Vorderman and Ashley Banjo returned to co-host the star-studded event at London’s Grosvenor House.
Carol, who has hosted the event for 23 years since 1999, said: "We’ll have 12 incredible winners again this year, but it's difficult for the judging panel because we have thousands of nominations and everyone on the shortlist could easily win.
"We try to reflect what’s happened in Britain in the last year, so you’ll recognise people who have been in the news, but we aim to balance that with stories nobody has heard before. It’s a magical combination."
This year's winners included a teenager who saved the lives of a young boy and her father before coming close to being swept to her death in a river and brave police officers wounded in a frenzied knife attack.
A sailor who led a four-hour mission to save 27 men from a burning ship in towering seas and a schoolboy who tackles endurance challenges on his walking frame to raise money for charity are also among the winners.
