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Daily Mirror
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Rose Hill

Strictly's Helen Skelton hails iconic 'revenge dance' as 'moment' she won

Helen Skelton has hailed her iconic Mein Herr dance - subsequently subbed by fans as her 'revenge dance' - as her "moment" and says that she feels like she's "already won" Strictly.

The Countryfile presenter, 39, has consistently wowed viewers every week with her incredible and powerful routines.

Yet Helen was nowhere near as confident when she first began dancing following her very public break-up from husband Richie Myler, with whom she shares three young children.

"I've found confidence and I think [Gorka] is clever in that he's never made it about being sexy," she explained ahead of this weekend's final. "It's about being sassy and powerful and being in control and that's a wonderfully freeing thing for anybody when they feel in control of themselves and what they're doing.

Helen Skelton's powerful Mein Herr routine wowed viewers and judges alike (BBC)

"So I don't think it's about being sexy, it's about being confident in your own skin and being who you are. The think [Gorka] kept saying to me at the beginning that I did get to remember was 'Just own it, own it'. I was like, 'What does that even mean?' And now I get it. It's been a wonderfully liberating thing to just be happy in your own skin and your own shoes."

Earlier this year, Helen was left heartbroken after announcing that her marriage to Richie had ended, telling fans that he had left the family home.

Soon after, the Leeds Rhinos star started dating Stephanie Thirkill, 32, the daughter of club president Andrew Thirkill.

Helen split from husband Richie Myler earlier this year (helenskelton/Instagram)

They are now expecting their first child together.

Her sultry, powerful Couple's Choice dance to Liza Minelli's 1972 Cabaret hit saw her performatively kick her former relationship to the kerb with a number pointed gestures towards her estranged husband.

Opening up about the incredible reaction on the night, which saw judge Craig Revel Horwood furiously booed by the audience for giving her a 9, she said: "That was a moment!

Fans were bowled over by the incredible routine (BBC/Guy Levy)

"It's a weird thing for people to go mad for something we're doing... people keep going 'You've been on a journey', but [Gorka's] done it!"

The pair will face stiff competition at the weekend from the likes of Hamza and Yowita, Fleur and Vito and Molly and Carlos - all of whom have received 10s during their time in the series.

Quizzed on how she would feel if she got the chance to hold up the Glitterball on Saturday, Helen said: "I feel like we've already won it!"

Referring to the fact that they were still in the competition "laughing and joking", she said that she had the "biggest bank of memories" and that her family were "proud" of her.

(BBC)

Helen and Gorka have never been in the dance-off - something she feels is a "massive compliment" and that they feel "very grateful" for.

"I'd love for us to get a 40 but I already feel like we've had our 40," she said. "When we go up to Claudia and everyone's cheering... that's like a 40, 50, 60!"

*Strictly's final airs Saturday 17 December at 7.05pm on BBC One

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