Maisie Smith competed on the most recent season of Strictly Come Dancing in the hopes it would boost family morale, after her dad Stephen lost his job at a bank.
The 19-year-old EastEnders star was among the finalists competing for the coveted gliterball on Saturday night’s show, which saw Bill Bailey walk away victorious.
And in an interview conducted before the finale, Maisie’s mum and manager Julia revealed that the star was hoping a win would lift her close-knit family’s mood.
Morale boost: Maisie Smith competed on the most recent season of Strictly Come Dancing in the hopes it would boost her family’s morale. Pictured with dance partner Gorka Marquez
Julia, 50, told The Sun of Stephen: ‘He looked after the office premises. When everyone was sent home he didn’t have anything to do.
‘Having Maisie on Strictly has been a massive distraction from what we were going through. He’s so proud, he’s not into the limelight, he likes to sit back and watch us have fun.’
Julia was in the studio audience along with Maisie’s lookalike sister Scarlett, 22, for the semi-finals, where they watched the actress advance to the final stage of the competition after a largely impressive season.
And while much has been made of fellow finalist HRVY, 21, revealing that he’d like to take Maisie on a date once the series ends, Julia said: ‘He’d have to come round and get to know us for six months first. But he seems like a genuinely lovely guy.’
Job: Maisie’s mum and manager Julia revealed that the star was hoping a win would lift her close-knit family’s mood, after dad Stephen lost his job at a London bank in lockdown
Family: Julia was in the studio audience along with Maisie’s lookalike 22-year-old sister Scarlett, left, for the semi-finals, where they watched her advance to the crucial final stage
Despite facing challenges in the competition after finding herself in the dance off twice, Maisie said being on Strictly has shown her that she can be confident and ‘get over’ her self-doubts.
Speaking ahead of the televised finale, she explained: ‘I have always had insecurities and I probably always will. Everyone has.
‘But being on this show with the costumes and the dances and doing things completely out of my comfort zone, I have been thrown into the deep end so in a way it has helped me with my confidence.
‘On this show it goes so quick you don’t have time to say “I don’t feel comfortable” you just have to go out there and do it. It has pushed me to get over it.
Worked hard for the glitterball: The soap star juggled filming her scenes for EastEnders with training for the show, resulting in her still rehearsing at gone midnight
Date: And while much has been made of fellow finalist HRVY, 21, revealing that he’d like to take Maisie on a date once the series ends, Julia said he’s have to get to know the family first
‘I try and feel happier with myself and it’s only been eight weeks but I already feel better about myself and I didn’t expect that to ever happen.’
The soap star juggled filming her scenes for EastEnders with training for the show, resulting in her still rehearsing at gone midnight.
But her professional dance partner Gorka Márquez, 30, said the pair haven’t argued once, which is a triumph in itself according to ‘hormonal teen’ Maisie.
Gorka said: ‘It is funny because you know, so many hours in the same training room and you can get on each other’s nerves but funnily enough, even last week with the crazy schedule Maisie had, we both were like “it is what it is.”
Maisie added: ‘I’m a teenager, I’m hormonal but even still we have never bickered and that’s quite impressive!’
Winner: In the end, comedian Bill Bailey, 55, became the oldest champion in the show’s history as he lifted the Glitterball trophy on Saturday. Pictured with his dance partner Oti Mabuse