Denise Van Outen says her feet have become so painful during Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals she has to practise barefoot.

The star - who was paired with professional James Jordan at the weekend - said she is so sore she has been unable to even get her shoes on.

Denise also said she had been upset by suggestions that she had an advantage over her show rivals with her background on the stage in productions such as Chicago.

denise van outen

"This competition is not musical theatre, it is ballroom, and this is a world that I am in no way familiar with," she said.

Writing in an online blog, she said: "I feel that I'm at a slight disadvantage this week as my feet are so badly blistered due to dancing in heels, that I can't even get my shoes on and I'm having to practise barefoot until they heal.

"Even so, I wouldn't change a thing as I'm loving every minute of it."

Denise faces 13 other celebrities in the BBC One dance series and is preparing for the first live show which takes place in early October.

She said: "I have to say that I was quite upset at the criticism that I've come under from the press about my involvement with the show due to my previous dance experience.

"I would like to take this opportunity to express that I have danced at theatre school as part of my training, and I did appear in the musical Chicago where I had one dance number, but apart from that, my dance experience is very basic, and secondly, I am not the only competitor that has appeared in the show that has had basic training.

Denise also told how she had to keep her involvement in the programme under wraps: "The lengths that I've had to go to, to keep it secret were unbelievable. With any correspondence in regards to the show such as emails and meetings, I was never allowed to mention the word 'Strictly'. I always had to refer to my new job as 'legal', which was also my code name for the show."

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  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Victoria Pendleton attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Denise Van Outen attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: The professional dancers attend the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Kristina Rihanoff attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

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    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone attend the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Jerry Hall attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Erin Boag attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Dani Harmer attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Aliona Vilani attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Karen Hauer attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Ola Jordan attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Karen Hauer attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing - Red Carpet Launch

    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Denise Van Outen attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Kimberley Walsh arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Olympian Victoria Pendleton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Dani Harmer arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Denise Van Outen arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Tess Daly arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Olympian Victoria Pendleton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Olympian Victoria Pendleton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Tess Daly arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Denise Van Outen arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Kimberley Walsh arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Olympian Victoria Pendleton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Fern Britton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Denise Van Outen arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Lisa Riley arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Olympian Victoria Pendleton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Louis Smith arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Denise Van Outen arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

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    Johnny Ball arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Jerry Hall arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Kimberley Walsh arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Victoria Pendleton and Louis Smith arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Tess Daly arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Denise Van Outen arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

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    Olympian Victoria Pendleton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

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    Kimberley Walsh arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Dani Harmer arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Jerry Hall arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Kimberley Walsh arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Denise Van Outen arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Tess Daly arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Olympian Victoria Pendleton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Fern Britton arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

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    Colin Salmon arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

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    Sir Bruce Forsyth arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

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    Sir Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Olympian Louis Smith arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

  • Strictly Come Dancing 2012 launch - London

    Olympian Louis Smith arriving for the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012, at BBC TV Centre in west London.

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    LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Artem Chigvintsev attends the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012 at BBC Television Centre on September 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)