Laila Rouass: 'Alesha knows how we feel'

Laila Rouass has said that Alesha Dixon is the only Strictly Come Dancing panellist who knows how the celebrities on the show feel.

The Primeval actress and Strictly contestant told The Mirror that Dixon's critics had ignored her positive contribution to the programme.

Rouass said: "From where I’m standing, Alesha is the only one on the panel who knows how I feel. She can see our nerves.

"And a lot of her comments were right, but everyone's focused on the negative."

She added: "People are comparing her to Cheryl Cole on The X Factor. Well Cheryl goes through three months of auditions before going to the live shows.

"Alesha is in at the deep end, but she's giving it her best."

Dixon has been supported by a number of past and present Strictly stars this week, including Mark Foster, Richard Dunwoody and Brendan Cole.