Helen Skelton, the beloved Countryfile presenter and former Blue Peter star, recently opened up about her emotional journey on Strictly Come Dancing. Despite making it to the final and delivering some of the show’s most memorable performances, Helen revealed she was “terrified” in the early days and even “tried to leave.”
Speaking on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time, Helen shared a startling moment when she hid on a fire escape during the initial stages of filming. Situated next to a towering wall on the Strictly set near The Crown, she confessed, “I kid you not, I was looking at the wall and thinking, ‘I could get over that’.”
Thankfully, a backstage crew member encouraged her to return to the studio, where her professional dance partner, Gorka Márquez, offered her some comforting words. “He said to me: ‘It’s like jumping out of a plane, you’ve got to engage the parachute’,” Helen recalled gratefully. Gorka’s unwavering support helped Helen gain the confidence to progress from fearful beginnings to dazzling the audience with a flawless Cabaret-inspired dance in the final, earning a perfect score of 40.
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Helen’s Strictly journey was not without its challenges. In the semi-finals, she experienced a wardrobe malfunction when part of her dress tore and dangled around her leg, yet she continued with grace and scored an impressive 37 points. Despite receiving the lowest score of 8 from Shirley Ballas for that performance, Helen earned top marks from fellow judges Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.
Throughout the competition, Helen also faced personal difficulties, including the end of her eight-year marriage to rugby player Richie Myler. She was determined not to let this heartbreak affect her performance or influence the judges’ decisions. Reflecting on advice from friends, she noted, “They told me, ‘Just do it. There’s so many people talking about you; they may as well look at you in a sparkly dress.'”
Helen addressed rumors suggesting she had an unfair advantage because of her childhood tap-dancing experience. Speaking to ITV’s Lorraine earlier, she laughed off the claims, saying, “When I was seven, yes, I did tap dancing… I gave it up when I got to a certain age. I wish I hadn’t!”
From hiding on a fire escape to becoming a fan favorite who brought joy and resilience to the Strictly dance floor, Helen Skelton’s journey is a testament to overcoming fear and embracing the spotlight.