Kellie Bright Reveals Showdance Frustration Ahead Of Strictly Final

Kellie Bright Reveals Showdance Frustration Ahead Of Strictly Final

EastEnders star Kellie Bright has revealed her frustration with a tricky element in her Strictly Come Dancing show-stopping routine as she goes head to head in tonight's final.

The showdance is the only dance where there are no rules as the couples battle to impress the judges.

Speaking at a press event ahead of the show's grand finale, Bright, 39, admitted certain steps are presenting a challenge.

She said: "In our showdance, we have to do something where I jump up in the air and spin around once and land. I must have fallen on my bottom about 10 times. I can't do it!"

The soap star said Strictly partner Kevin Clifton had told her "it's not that difficult".

The Wanted's Jay McGuiness remains the bookies' favourite to lift the famous glitterball. He revealed a love for Strictly he did not expect to find.

"When you first start, you think 'oh, there's a possibility that you could win the glitterball'," he acknowledged.

"Everyone loves Strictly - either they're a fan or it's on in the background, but I never realised I'd become such a Strictly fan. I'm in love with the show, I think it's awesome.

He added: "It's a wonderful glitterball - it's more for the people who win - but it's just a symbol. We've already got what we want from the show."

On Thursday, McGuiness stunned fans with the news he would not be reprising his slick jive. The Pulp Fiction-inspired routine had earned the very first 10 of this current series.

"The jive was so fun and everyone loved it and that was the absolute best I could do it," The Wanted star explained. "I'm happy with that being the time that I did the jive."

However, partner Aliona Vilani said their showdance would contain a segment from that crowd-pleasing jive.

Broadcaster Katie Derham and her partner Anton Du Beke spoke of their joy at reaching the final.

Derham addressed the "fix" claims sparked by their semi-final dance-off victory over presenter Anita Rani and professional Gleb Savchenko.

"It's a shame people want to pick on any negative connotations," she said. "I always wanted to do this, Radio 3 presenter quotes Taylor Swift: you've just got to 'shake it off'!"

It's a first final appearance for Du Beke in his 12 years on the popular BBC One ballroom series.

He said: "I really wanted to know what it felt like to be in the final because I've been doing it a long time. Kevin's been here for five minutes and he's never not been in the final.

"It ain't half made me grumpy, I've got to be honest with you!"

Former Coronation Street star Georgia May Foote enthused about her favourite dance with partner Giovanni Pernice.

"The Charleston. Either that or the samba. I like them both, but the Charleston especially just because I did it to Chicago, which is my favourite musical ever.

"I always wanted to do the Charleston and I did it in the wig and the make-up and the costume and everything and it just was the best," the 24-year-old stated.

The four couples will be performing up to three dances: a showdance, a previous routine as selected by the judges and their personal favourite dance from this series.

Among the dances viewers will be treated to are: Bright's Charleston to Star Wars; Derham's Viennese waltz to If I Can Dream by Elvis Presley; May Foote's Chicago-inspired Charleston and McGuiness's paso doble to It's My Life by Bon Jovi.

Music will come from Ellie Goulding in the results segment of tonight's show.

The BBC told the Press Association the chart-topper will sing Love Me Like You Do, accompanied by a selection of professional dancers including new favourite Savchenko.

The glitterball is up for grabs, but EastEnders' Bright dismissed any notions of rivalry.

"I really truly do not feel that at all. I've never felt it during the whole time we've been on the show.

"I still want everyone here to do their best and feel happy with what they've done. We're winners, we're all winners," she said.

:: Strictly Come Dancing's final is broadcast tonight at 6.35pm on BBC One.

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