Bleakley: 'The competition is hotting up'

BBC

Christine Bleakley has revealed that Strictly Come Dancing's contestants are becoming "tense" and "nervous" as the final draws closer.

The TV host admitted that she has mixed emotions after picking up 34 points, her highest score yet, from the judges on Saturday night.

"It was an exciting weekend. A tense one, though," Bleakley explained on spinoff show It Takes Two. "You can really feel the competition heating up, and backstage particularly, I think everyone was a little bit more nervous. I know I was this weekend."

Bleakley also vowed to work harder in training sessions with her dance partner Matthew Cutler after the weekend's result made her the only female celebrity who has never been in the bottom two.

"It's an incredible feeling and it's just lovely to have the support from people right across the country, and obviously Matthew has huge support already," she said. "You want to be worthy of their votes. You don't become complacent. I want to work harder for that very reason."