Judi Love on why off-screen Strictly dances are "nerve-wracking"

Loose Women panelist Judi Love has opened up about her experiences last year on Strictly Come Dancing, stating that it was actually the off-camera rehearsal run-throughs that she found more nerve-wracking than the on-air performances.

Love was speaking to the Daily Star when she explained that Strictly couples usually perform their dances three times in dress rehearsals ahead of the live show, without a public audience.

"I used to feel more nervous about doing a dance three times in front of production because you do three runs," Love explained.

What to read next

"You on your first run, then another one with your outfit on and you see whether you lift your hand and it needs cutting or whatever. And that was more nerve-wracking for me than it was to go live. Live, people are clapping for you and stuff."

Love continued: "But in front of the cameras they aren't entertained, they're trying to make sure they have the right angle. It's just really nerve-wracking."

Love featured on last year's series of Strictly and was paired up with professional dancer Graziano Di Prima. Love and Di Prima made it to week seven before they lost out in the dance-off to Adam Peaty and his professional partner Katya Jones.

That season was won by Rose Ayling-Ellis and professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice

This year's Strictly has just passed week six, which was the competition's annual Halloween week.

Fleur East and Vito Coppola were pitted against EastEnders actor James Bye and his professional partner Amy Dowden in the dance-off, and it was Bye and Dowden who were eventually eliminated.

Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One, while spin-off show Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows also stream on BBC iPlayer.