Natasha Kaplinsky has admitted that her appearances on the first series of Strictly Come Dancing gave her nightmares, according to The Mirror today.

Kaplinsky, who won the first series of the show, alongside partner Brendan Cole, told the newspaper, "It filled me with dread and horror and gave me untold sleepless nights. The thought of stepping out on the dance-floor and putting my credibility at risk was a massive fear for me.

"I was genuinely phobic about it. I tried to turn it down, to step off kerbs and break my ankle - anything but do the show."

Natasha returns to the BBC ballroom show tonight for a second series, however this time she will be co-presenting alongside Bruce Forsyth.