Helen Skelton admits Strictly Come Dancing has been ‘liberating’ ahead of final dances with Gorka Marquez

Helen Skelton has opened up about her new “found confidence” ahead of the Strictly Come Dancing final.

The Countryfile presenter, 39, from Cumbria, will take to the dancefloor on Saturday 17 December as one of the four remaining couples who are fighting to win the Glitterball Trophy.

The mother-of-three and her professional dance partner Gorka Marquez are set to perform a Showdance piece to Emeli Sande’s ‘Shine’, a Jive to Janelle Monae’s ‘Tightrope’ and their Couple’s Choice routine to ‘Mein Herr’ from Cabaret.

Ahead of the 2022 final, Helen has spoken about her “clever” dance partner, being in control and finding her confidence.

According to MailOnline, Helen said: “Everyone has confidence in different ways. I was having a chat with Claudia [Winkleman] about it one day and not everybody can strut down the high street in high heels and a dress but maybe you’re confident in talking about politics or writing books or whatever but yes, I have found confidence.”

The former Blue Peter presenter added: “Gorka is clever because he’s never made it about being sexy, it’s been about being sassy and powerful and being in control and that’s a wonderfully freeing thing for anybody when they feel in control of their own self and what they’re doing.”

Helen, who split from Leeds Rhinos Richie Myler after eight years, also said she felt “happy” in her own skin again, following the break down of her marriage in April.

The TV presenter admitted that she didn’t understand when Gorka told her to “just own it” in the beginning, however as the show has gone on she gets it.

She added: “It has been a wonderfully liberating thing to just be happy in my own skin and my own shoes and doing whatever walk I’m doing.”

What is Showdance?

Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez will perform a Showdance to Emeli Sande’s 2019 song ‘Shine’, as one of their dances in the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 final.

Showdance is a freestyle and theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music. The routine allows the use of lifts, acrobatics, props, lip-sync, and other theatrical effects.

All couples will perform a Showdance in the Strictly Come Dancing final, as a last chance to impress the judges and the public. The Showdance has received the most perfect scores (40) of any dance, with fifteen.

Last year’s winners, actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and dancer Giovanni Pernice, got a perfect score for their Showdance to The Rose Bette Midler in the final.

2021 runners up, baker John Whaite and dancer Johannes Radebe, also got 40 from the judges after their Showdance to You’ve Got The Love by Florence + the Machine.