Strictly: Alexandra Burke gets emotional public support

She’s had a tough week ahead of the Saturday Strictly Come Dancing semi-final, admitting the trolling she’s been receiving has brought her down. 

And Alexandra Burke addressed her emotional week as she aced the Salsa in a sensual performance for her first dance of the night, bagging a score of 39 out of 40 from the awe-struck judges. 

The singer admitted she’d had a tough week, but revealed it was all worth it for the show she’s always wanted to do.

 

Alexandra Burke addressed her emotional week as she aced the Salsa in a sensual performance for her first dance of the night, bagging a score of 39 out of 40 from the awe-struck judges

Alexandra and Gorka, who won the dance off against Davood Ghadami last week, , performing an an emotional Salsa to Finally by Cece Peniston and a Viennese Waltz to Tina Arena’s version of R.E.M’s Everybody Hurts.

Ahead of her performance she opened up about the tough time she’d been receiving from trolls recently, welling up as she admitted it was a stressful task being on the show but she’s always wanted to do it. 

‘Watching the video showed how much love is out there. It’s definitely given me the kick I needed,’ she admitted between tears as she was shown a video of public supporters. 

The singer admitted she'd had a tough week, but revealed it was all worth it for the show she's always wanted to do

The singer admitted she’d had a tough week, but revealed it was all worth it for the show she’s always wanted to do

Alexandra slipped into a stunning semi-sheer gown with a feather embellished hem for the sensual performance, wowing the judges who described the dance as the ‘silkiest softest pashmina’, with Darcey becoming emotional as bagging a jaw-dropping impressive score of 39.

‘It’s been a tough week but it was worth it!’ Alexandra admitted as Gorka Marquez picked Claudia up in excitement.

 This came after she opened up to The Telegraph, admitting she struggled to cope ‘mentally’ with the relentless criticism of trolls during her stint on the show.

Too much: Alexandra has admitted she struggled to cope 'mentally' with the relentless criticisms of trolls during her stint on Strictly Come Dancing

Too much: Alexandra has admitted she struggled to cope ‘mentally’ with the relentless criticisms of trolls during her stint on Strictly Come Dancing

Can't take it: 'It got to a point where I was like, I can't take any more mentally. It felt like a personal attack,' she told The Telegraph 

Can’t take it: ‘It got to a point where I was like, I can’t take any more mentally. It felt like a personal attack,’ she told The Telegraph 

Targeted: The X Factor star, who previously said the backlash is 'taking its toll', confessed the backlash felt like a 'personal attack'

Targeted: The X Factor star, who previously said the backlash is ‘taking its toll’, confessed the backlash felt like a ‘personal attack’

Ordeal: The singer, 29, has been accused of 'fake' crying over her late mum Melissa Bell (pictured) on the show and is failing to win over the public - having landed in the bottom two for the second week in a row last Sunday

Ordeal: The singer, 29, has been accused of ‘fake’ crying over her late mum Melissa Bell (pictured) on the show and is failing to win over the public – having landed in the bottom two for the second week in a row last Sunday

‘It got to a point where I was like, I can’t take any more mentally. It felt like a personal attack’.

She wrote last week: ‘I’ve tried my best to just be strong and brush it all off but mentally it’s taking its toll.’

Burke also admitted the slew of nasty comments has left her feeling self-conscious because her ‘100 per cent genuine’ emotions are being called fake.

‘Twitter seems to have given people permission to be incredibly hurtful,’ she told Radio Times, this week. ‘They don’t seem to realise that I have feelings and get upset.’

‘The saddest thing is that I started the show completely myself – my joy and my tears were 100 per cent genuine, however much people said they were fake – but I’m now so self-conscious, I try not to react at all in case people say, “Oh, look, here are the fake tears again”.’

The Daylight Robbery singer, 29, went on: ‘I have struggled with some of the public reaction. I’ve never experienced anything like this.’ 

Meanwhile back on Saturday’s show saw Strictly Come Dancing’s long-awaited semi-final. 

And with Christmas just two weeks away, presenter Tess Daly opted for a festive inspired red dress as she took to the stage to host the show. 

She was joined by Claudia Winkleman, who oozed understated elegance in a Bardot jumpsuit. 

Bell of the jingle ball! With Christmas just two weeks away, presenter Tess Daly opted for a festive inspired red dress as she took to the stage to host Strictly's semi final on Saturday

Bell of the jingle ball! With Christmas just two weeks away, presenter Tess Daly opted for a festive inspired red dress as she took to the stage to host Strictly’s semi final on Saturday

Showing off her statuesque figure to perfection, Tess slipped into a sequin-encrusted dress, featuring an asymmetric hemline. 

Wearing her blonde hair in a sleek do, she was joined by a chic Claudia who rocked an off-the-shoulder jumpsuit.

Injecting a splash of colour with a bold red lip, Claudia and Tess added the appropriate touch of glamour as they introduced the show. 

Bringing the dazzle! She was joined by Claudia Winkleman, who oozed understated elegance in a Bardot jumpsuit

Bringing the dazzle! She was joined by Claudia Winkleman, who oozed understated elegance in a Bardot jumpsuit

Joe and Katya kicked off the show with the American Smooth to Have You Met Miss Jones? By Robbie Williams and the Argentine Tango to Human by Rag n’ Bone Man.

The couple put on a smooth appearance during their first of two dances of the night, whopping with joy as they completed the dance. 

‘We have four women and one man, what a way to kick of the show,’ Shirley Bassey exclaimed, as she joined Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Darcey Bussell on the judge’s panel.

The duo scored 35 out of 40, being given a score of nine by three of the judges. 

Alexandra and Gorka were up next, bagging an incredible 39 out of 40. 

Rumoured love birds Mollie and AJ were up next, Waltzing to Angel by Sarah McLachlan and performing a Samba to Whenever, Wherever by Shakira.

Their dance got a frosty performance, and a frustrated Mollie apologized to AJ, as he comforted her, holding her close as he reassured her. 

‘Adorable’, Claudia exclaimed as she observed AJ comforting a distraught Mollie, as they scored just 24.. 

Gemma and Aljaž came on next to dance the Rumba to Beneath Your Beautiful by Labrinth featuring Emeli Sandé and a Tango to My Sharona by The Knack (Royal Blood cover). 

Meanwhile Debbie and Giovanni are dancing a Foxtrot to Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder and a Jive to I’m So Excited by the Pointer Sisters.

On Friday reports surfaced claiming that Debbie McGee was struggling under the pressure of the competition. 

A source told The Sun that Debbie, 59, broke down as she tried to fit in rehearsals for both shows, ahead of her debut in Beauty and the Beast at the York Grand Opera House the day after the Strictly final. 

The source said: ‘It’s been Debbie and Giovanni’s toughest week. It all got a bit much. There have been tears.

‘Debbie has had to combine full days of Beauty with intense dance rehearsals in the evening.

‘She’s absolutely exhausted, but she’s confident she’ll be able to pull it off again on Saturday.’ 

'She’s absolutely exhausted, but she’s confident she’ll be able to pull it off again on Saturday,' a source said of Debbie ahead of the show

‘She’s absolutely exhausted, but she’s confident she’ll be able to pull it off again on Saturday,’ a source said of Debbie ahead of the show



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