Fleur East and her professional partner Vito Coppola are managing to bury their pain on Strictly Come Dancing, body language expert Judi James has suggested.
The couple appeared on Tuesday night's edition of Strictly: It Takes Two as they addressed being in the dance-off for the second time against EastEnders actor James Bye.
However, former X Factor star recently looked stressed as she spoke to Rylan Clark, saying: "You would think that you've been there before, it would be easier.
"I think it was harder to be honest."
Following their appearance on It Takes Two, Judi told The Mirror: "Fleur and Vito looked desperate to bounce back after their second dance-off of the series but their resilient body language signals appeared to be more about bravado and masking than genuine, upbeat confidence.
"On close inspection, their smiles and laughs looked like 'lightning' gestures that appeared and dropped too quickly to suggest genuine happiness and their leakage signals came from their hands that were self-heckling their claims of having 'loved it' on Saturday night."
Judi went on to say: "Fleur continually used the phrase 'Do you know what….' to start her answers, which can suggest resignation and when Rylan finally mentioned the dance-off Vito's nose wrinkled while Fleur sighed and looked down.
"She told Rylan it was 'harder than before' and pitched that 'We want to stay, we love dancing with each other.'
"It must be so difficult for this couple who perform so well yet who have had to get through two huge knockbacks and rebuild their confidence.
"At the end of their interview, they both signed off with the same, mirrored gesture of praying hands, showing how badly they want to gain approval and votes this week.
"Fleur and Vito looked desperate to bounce back after their second dance-off of the series but their resilient body language signals appeared to be more about bravado and masking than genuine, upbeat confidence.
"On close inspection, their smiles and laughs looked like ‘lightning’ gestures that appeared and dropped too quickly to suggest genuine happiness and their leakage signals came from their hands that were self-heckling their claims of having ‘loved it’ on Saturday night. Vito in particular kept wringing his hands and then rubbing them together in a signal that suggests anxiety.
"Fleur continually used the phrase 'Do you know what….' to start her answers, which can suggest resignation and when Rylan finally mentioned the dance-off Vito's nose wrinkled while Fleur sighed and looked down.
"She told Rylan it was 'harder than before' and pitched that 'We want to stay, we love dancing with each other.'
"It must be so difficult for this couple who perform so well yet who have had to get through two huge knockbacks and rebuild their confidence. At the end of their interview, they both signed off with the same, mirrored gesture of praying hands, showing how badly they want to gain approval and votes this week."
