Alesha battles 'Strictly' final nerves

Strictly Come Dancing star Alesha Dixon has been struggling with nerves ahead of this weekend's final.

Presenter Tess Daly revealed that the singer has been feeling the strain of the competition, despite her seemingly effortless performances during the live shows.

She told The Sun: "Alesha gets so nervous on dance nights, so much that there have been a few tears between shows. I think the tension has really got to her - that and probably exhaustion.

"She and Matt [Cutler, partner] have trained more than anyone else, putting in 38 hours in the week. But you wouldn't have known because she's a total professional."

Daly predicted that Dixon and Cutler will put in more effort than last year's winners Mark Ramprakash and Karen Hardy in the run-up to the final, saying: "I think Alesha and Matt will beat their track record. Alesha keeps on breaking records - she's broken the record for scores of ten."

The pair face EastEnders star Matt Di Angelo and his partner Flavia Cacace tonight, but Daly said she thinks the result could be too close to call.

She said: "I’m so excited. I think it's all going to come down to the performances on the night, it's not cut and dried."

Singer Javine Hylton recently said she is backing Dixon to lift the Strictly crown.