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Alex Evans

Strictly's Helen Skelton addresses 'fix' allegations as dance competition win is revealed

Helen Skelton is hotly tipped to push favourites Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal all the way in the Strictly Come Dancing grand final 2022.

And after the incredibly tough year Helen has had, including the breakdown of her marriage to Leeds Rhinos' Richie Myler, who could argue against the Winter On The Farm star picking up the Glitterball trophy?

Helen Skelton has also been named as the most improved dancer of the 2022 series in stats revealed by the BBC themselves.

Read More: Helen Skelton dealt huge blow ahead of final

But at the start of the series, Helen was forced to address allegations that the competition was a 'fix' because of her previously undisclosed dance contest experience.

That comes on top of her involvement in a Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special 10 years ago, in which Helen danced a jive.

Strictly's Helen Skelton on Friday's show (BBC)

That's right, in 2012 Helen Skelton danced a jive to 'All I Want For Christmas' on the BBC Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special.

In a live broadcast on Instagram with Gorka Marquez on Thursday, Helen referenced the jive as Gorka told her he 'couldn't tell' she previously learned a jive for the show 10 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI6-SC6VdpA

But the other dance experience comes from the fact the mum-of-three is actually a fully qualified tap dancer and even won an award when she was 17.

According to The Sun, Skelton won the Ken Dodd Tap Dancing Award 22 years ago.

Skelton said in 2016: “Not a lot of people know this, but I’m very good at tap dancing. People are often amazed I can tap dance.”

Helen Skelton making an appearance on Strictly It Takes Two (BBC)

But she has looked to dismiss fan fears that this year’s talent competition is a “fix” during a recent interview.

Appearing on ITV show Lorraine at the beginning of Strictly 2022, host Lorraine Kelly asked if her tap dancing past would help.

Helen replied: “I found it so funny when they said it was a fix – Helen’s a tap dancing champion. When I was seven, yes, I did tap dancing.

"Like lots of little girls and boys, I did dancing and absolutely loved it. Hit an age where I didn't want to be in a leotard in public and I gave it up. I wish I hadn't.”

If you cannot see the poll below, click here

The Strictly Come Dancing grand final is on BBC1 at 7.15pm.

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