BBC Strictly's Helen Skelton praises 'families' as she gushes over Gorka Marquez after ex's social media post

Helen Skelton has shared praised for the families of the current crop of Strictly Come Dancing stars and their professionals as they head into training for week two of the competition. The Countryfile host made her dancing debut on the BBC One show over the weekend.

On Friday night, viewers discovered that Helen would be spending her Striclty journey with Gorka Marquez and it appeared to be the perfect fit as she told Tess Daly she needed a professional partner who was 'fun, and patient and could understand a northern accent'. And as the Spanish dancer had made Greater Manchester his home alongside Bury-born fiancee Gemma Atkinson and their daughter, Mia, he certainly ticks Helen's boxes.

And the new pairing got off to a beautiful and brilliant start as the 15 celebrities and their dance partners took to the ballroom floor for the first time on Saturday. Their debut performance, an American Smooth to Aretha Franklin's You Send Me, saw them awarded a score of 26 by the judges - Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke.

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She received plenty of praise from the foursome but was advised to "own it" by Anton, which appeared to hint at her nerves. And pro dance partner Gorka aid her confidence at the moment 'is not great.' And Helen joked: "I kept trying to leave." And she wasn't lying as she revealed on her radio show on Sunday that broke down in tears and tried to escape through fire exit before debut.

"I had a little cry. I’m normally cool, calm and collected," she said. "I got on the dance floor and they said, 'When the audience come in...' and I went, 'Oh