Helen Skelton has shared the reality of her post- Strictly Come Dancing life as she joked that she was back 'with a bang'. The Countryfile host made it all the way to the final of the BBC One dance competition alongside professional partner Gorka Marquez.
The pair faced Fleur East and Vito Coppola, Hamza Yassin and Jowita Prytzal, and Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu in a fight for the Glitterball trophy last Saturday night (December 17). The remaining couples gave it their all, attempting thee different routines to impress the voting public.
But after all 12 performances, and 12 different rounds of judges' scores despite them not counting towards the final results, it was revealed that Hamza and Jowita were the Strictly 2022 champions.
However, Helen, 39, and Gorka, 32, were subject to 'robbed' complaints after they missed out on the title and lifting the Glitterball trophy. Fans were also quick to spot Gorka's 'gutted' reaction to the news after making it to his third final since joining the hit show in 2016.
Speaking of Gorka on ITV's Lorraine on Monday (December 19), Helen said: "He is a credit to that show and he is a credit to his family, to Gemma and to Mia, and to Strictly because... it's telly and you're exhausted." She continued: "That show pushes all your buttons, you're so emotional and you're travelling up and down.
"We train up here in the north and then go down there for the weekends, you're here there and everywhere. You're laying your vulnerabilities out on the dancefloor. He never pushed me to say things I didn't want to say and he never made me pull the thread that would've made the jumper unravel."
Helen joined stand-in host Ranvir Singh live via video link on the show from her home in Cumbria, after dropping her kids off at school and the mum-of-three joked that there was no-one around to do her fake tan before she appeared on the live show.
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But her foray back into reality was quick to bite. However, it was pretty sweet. The former Blue Peter presenter posted a heartwarming black and white photo of herself dressed as a Christmas elf. In the sweet photo, the doting mum, who split from husband Richie Myler earlier this year months after the birth of their daughter, could be seen kissing her little girl.
Little Elsie Kate could be seen dressed in a matching elf outfit with striped tights and Velcro trainers as she beamed from ear-to-ear. "Did a food shop whilst eating a baguette," she wrote. "Kids made me make tea whilst dressed as an elf. Back to life with a bang."
And Helen has since made a return to TV screens where she made a cheeky dig at Strictly. She headed to the Cannon Hall Farm in South Yorkshire for Channel 5's Christmas On The Farm and during her return, Helen spoke out about the final of the BBC One dance contest with her Escape to the Country co-stars Jules Judson and brothers Rob and Dave Nicholson.
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During the episode, Jules jokingly gave Helen a "glitterbale" trophy made out of hay as a cosellation prize for missing out on the coveted Glitterball. He then asked Helen: "Which is more important, that or the glitterball do you think?" Helen gave a cheeky grin before she replied: "This means so much more to me!"
She then added: "Joking aside, to have the support of you guys... it made it like our journey. Do you know what I mean? It made it our adventure."
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