Strictly star reveals secret struggle ahead of live show as she says 'it's so hard'

Strictly Come Dancing star La Voix has opened up on her emotional Waltz to Feed The Birds (Tuppence A Bag) from Mary Poppins. The star was visibly affected by the performance and confessed to Claudia Winkleman after the dance that the film means a lot to her. "I remember watching as a kid and with a family, and I know my dad's here tonight, so that was for mum," she said as her voice cracked. She and her pro partner Aljaz Skorjanec were rewarded for their efforts with 28 points with each judge giving them an impressive 7.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk in advance of the latest show on Saturday October 18 the diva admitted she didn't expect to be quite so affected by the dance. "I thought surely being sincere is easier than coming up with all the quips and the jokes," she said referring to the fact she has put a comedy spin on most of her dances to date.

"I was prepared for it to be an easier week but I was in a really strange mood all week and even on the days coming up to it I went very quiet, very inward.

"I was at home really finding the lack of something to hide behind difficult. (I missed) the comedy, which is something I've clearly hid behind a lot.

"To remove that and just step into something that's really simply you, I found that really hard, and I found that really fascinating, that it was something that I was I found so difficult to do.

"But the help of (guest mentor) Cynthia Erivo was beautiful. The judges were lovely. So I think if that moment comes up again, I'll feel more prepared and sort of ready to lean into that," she said.

The glamourous singer and comedy icon also said she is finding it a challenge to relinquish creative control on the show.

"I think that's been the biggest challenge of this whole thing, is handing over that control and not having anything within my skill set or wheelhouse that I'm doing on the stage as such.

"That was a huge thing to overcome and to embrace it. It's been really quite empowering to give into that. And I do genuinely want to hear great critique (from the judges) because it does help you. Each week Aliaz will teach me about a certain move, and then Shirley will mention it. I'll go, 'Oh, that is a real thing. It's not just him making it up'.

"Of course, you want to improve. Nobody wants to do Strictly and get to the end and not feel like there's genuine progression with your dance technique," she said.