Strictly Come Dancing host forced to step in over…

Strictly Come Dancing host forced to step in over Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez 'love fest'

Strictly It Takes Two host Janette Manrara was forced to step in on Thursday night after speaking to Helen Skelton and her pro dance partner Gorka Marquez descended into a cheeky play fighting 'love fest'.

Janette called the pair a 'partnership made in heaven' after she was forced to intervene during the pair's flirty play fighting on Strictly spin off It Takes Two tonight.

Helen, who recently split with Leeds Rhinos legends ex-husband Richie Myler, has said she came on Strictly 'to have fun' and it appears she and her professional dance partner on screen Gorka are having a great time together.

Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez spoke to It Takes Two host Janette Manrara about their dance at the weekend as well as their upcoming jive next Saturday.

Helen Skelton told her: "In the week Gorka went, just let me take you away, and he did, it was nice."

Janette asked Gorka: "Where did you take her?"

"The woods!", he replied. Before adding, looking abashed: "The Strictly woods" as he held his hands up in a gesture of innocence.

Janette then asked Helen: "You were told by the judges you were giving 'final' vibes, are you feeling the pressure now of getting to the final?"

Helen added: "I'm really superstitious so I don't even think about next week. I just think about Saturday one day at a time, so it was really lovely of her to say that and I appreciate it but I just want to work hard have a good time and learn. And if they say something I can work on that's fine, anything else I just stick that in my back pocket, save that for a rainy day."

Gorka then gushed: "I just love the way she listens to everything I say and tries to take it on board and always does her best.

"On Saturday in my honest opinion it pays off because when she dance to me she makes it look effortless, and that's what you want as a dancer, you know it's not easy but when you make it look easy you know something is working so I'm very proud of her and what she does."

The pair got 7/8/8/0 from the judges.

The pair were playful on the It Takes Two sofa on Thursday night (BBC2)

Helen was then asked if she feared the dance off, and she replied: "Oh every week. Also he winds me up all the time, when we're waiting to go on and everyone else is going 'it's fine it's fine', he's there going 'oh better get ready (for the dance off) Helen'.

Gorka added: "I like to put myself in the worst case scenario and then if it's not the worst case scenario it's good news. But the result of the choreography is that you do it well."

Helen added: "No, you're nicer than me! I'm nicer than you!" as she playfully pushed him on the shoulder and beamed.

Janette then stopped their play fighting, adding: "Oh stop it, it's a love fest!" as the pair cracked up.

On Saturday the pair will dance an upbeat jive.

Gorka then added: "In seven weeks I've only seen her sweat twice. She has stamina for days, I think having three kids, she never stops, and doesn't give me breaks."

Helen said: "He makes me do a meditation app to calm down. He needs me to calm down."

Janette said: "So it's a partnership made in heaven then."

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC1 on Saturday, November 5.

Strictly It Takes Two returns every weekday on BBC2.

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