Strictly Come Dancing: Helen Skelton shares ‘pigeon weekend’ stories on It Takes Two ahead of Blackpool show

Helen Skelton tells her bizarre Blackpool stories as she corrects Gorka Marquez and Rylan Clark on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two.

The Countryfile presenter, 39, and her dance partner Gorka Marquez, 32, performed the Salsa to Despacito on Saturday night and subsequently made it through to week nine.

The live shows are usually held at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire but next weekend, fans can see their favourite couples perform at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Ahead of the Blackpool show, Helen and Gorka appeared on It Takes Two, and the former Blue Peter presenter shared her love of Blackpool with host Rylan.

After telling her partner Gorka and the host a bizarre story about “pigeon weekend” and “pigeon fanciers”, the pair are left assuming that she is talking about a group of people who found the animals attractive.

Helen corrected them, explaining: "I have been to pigeon weekend, it’s when pigeon fanciers take their pigeons to Blackpool and race them. It isn’t somebody who finds pigeons attractive - it’s somebody who keeps them!"

The mother-of-three also spoke about going to the seaside town for a “big weekend away” with her children, as the family now live just 90-minutes away in Penrith, Cumbria.

She added: "We’re seeing this as a big weekend away, the kids will get to see each other and hang out. Still now, to this day, I take the kids to Blackpool and we play the penny slots."

On Saturday, Helen and Gorka will perform the Quickstep to Valerie by Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse, as they compete against seven remaining couples.

Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two is a spin-off show that dives behind the scenes of the competition to bring fans all the backstage gossip and drama from the rehearsal room. The episodes can include interviews with the contestants and celebrities who watch the programme, and rehearsal footage.

Rylan began hosting the series in 2019 alongside Zoe Ball, who has hosted It Takes Two since 2011. Now, Rylan hosts the series alongside former professional Strictly dander Janette Manrara.