Strictly Come Dancing were delighted to see a change in Helen Skelton as she performed to a piece of music close to her heart. The mum-of-three danced an uplifting Charleston to the theme song to Blue Peter, the show she presented from 2008 until 2013.
Helen beamed throughout their bubbly routine in a cute costume of orange dungarees with her hair pinned back and worn in plaits. This weekend, Strictly celebrated 100 years of the BBC and couples performed to an iconic BBC theme tune.
Viewers watching at home and the judges loved Helen's routine, with head judge Shirley Ballas remaining on her feet in a standing ovation. She was told it was 'phenomenal' and her best performance of the series so far.
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Fans loved seeing Helen bursting with confidence after previously being urged to believe in herself, and they scored 35 points out of a possible 40. @see75 tweeted: "Helen is literally like a different person!!!" and they added: "Helen literally came alive in that Blue Peter themed Charleston. You could tell how much she loved the dance and loved the show!!!"
@NicolaJane_EHU said: "Ahh Helen looked in her element dancing then." @_erinz_wrote: "That was fun - and LOVE seeing Helen so happy and confident, what a beautiful sight."
@HumbleChef4 wrote: "I think Charleston is made for Helen, it shows off her bubbly personality." And @clamorousvoice said: "Absolutely committed to Helen Shelton’s happiness."
@sianreed93 wrote: "This could possibly be the cheesiest, smiliest dance they’ve ever had on. So good to see Helen radiating joy, she bloody deserves it! That routine was really hard, full of Charleston content and tricks. Her best dance yet."
Gorka has moved fans with his show of support for his celebrity partner throughout the contest which is now in week five. Last week the Spanish dancer was applauded by viewers - and his fiancee Gemma Atkinson - after he halted the show to tell Helen she needed to believe in herself, despite going through a difficult time.
As they chatted to host Claudia Winkleman she laughed about her partner during training: "He pranks me all day every day." As they prepared to take to the dancefloor Gemma sent a message to the pair on her Instagram with a picture of them grinning happily. "Let's gooo!!" she cheered with dancing emojis.
In a break in training Helen shared some behind-the-scenes snaps including a photo of herself and her parents. Helen's post came after she revealed she's moved back in with them on their farm.
She revealed that she has quit her family home in Leeds to move back in with her parents on their farm in the Lake District following her split from her Leeds Rhinos rugby player husband Richie Myler. It means her mum and dad can help take care of her three young children while she tackles her work commitments on Strictly and ITV's Lorraine where she has joined a brand new 'Me Time' campaign.
Last weekend after Helen and Gorka performed a barnstorming paso doble they went upstairs to chat with host Claudia Winkleman. As Helen was paying tribute to her parents, Gorka stepped in and asked: "Can I just say something?"
He then turned to Helen and said: "I know you've have been having a difficult time and I know you've been ...you may feel like you're not beautiful or good enough or anything, but if you don't believe in yourself. I believe in you. Everybody here believes in you."
Cheers broke out from the fellow competitors on the BBC dance contest and Claudia added: "We all believe in you." Helen looked bashful and cowered away in response to the bolstering words.
Gorka then added: "It doesn't matter how many times I say it, or the judges say it, or anybody says it it's only you who is going to be the one who can make the change and the one who needs to believe in you, because you are an amazing woman, very inspirational. An amazing mum and incredible dancer, so believe in you please."
Countryfile presenter Helen announced back in April that her eight year marriage had ended, four months after she gave birth to their third child. Helen and Richie welcomed their baby daughter Elsie Kate on December 28. They also have two young sons Ernie, seven, and Louis, five.
"Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple," Helen wrote on social media back in April. "He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children."
Richie went Instagram official with new partner Stephanie Thirkill when they attended Wimbledon together this summer. As Helen made her dancing debut on Strictly at the end of last month her ex shared photos of himself and Stephanie on his Instagram and posted about 'family' as he shared a picture of himself and Stephanie with family including her father Leeds Rhinos president Andrew Thirkill.
He gushed: "Finished this season as a family", and drew a heart. Richie, 32, also re-posted a selfie shared by Stephanie after his final Leeds Rhinos game of the rugby league season. His girlfriend penned: "Wasn't a win but couldn't be more proud of this one. Grand Final at Old Trafford and a great game for you. Love you so much @richiemyler" and he added: "Love you."
After their debut on Strictly Come Dancing, performing the American Smooth to Aretha Franklin's You Send Me, Helen was advised to "own it" by judge Anton Du Beke. And Gorka said her confidence "is not great."
He said: "She's great but she just needs to believe." He continued: "Her confidence at the moment is not great. But she just needs to believe in herself and believe she can do it because I think she has a lot of potential and she's a beautiful dancer. I believe in her."
While presenting Blue Peter for five years Helen took part in the Namibia Ultra Marathon, cycled to the South Pole and kayaked the entire 2000-mile length of the River Amazon for Sport Relief, an achievement which earned her two entries in the Guinness World Records - for the longest solo journey by kayak and the longest distance by a woman in a kayak in 24 hours.
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