Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Brendan Cole
Sophie Ellis-Bextor feels "petrified" before she hits the dancefloor on BBC's 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
The 34-year-old singer - who is favourite to triumph in the competition - admits the BBC One ballroom show makes her feel more anxious than she's ever been before and joked her dance partner Brendan Cole is relieved when she makes it through each show without leaving the stage.
She told BANG Showbiz: "I actually find going on first petrifying. I'm one of the most nervous I've ever been. People keep saying to me how Brendan looks so happy after I've danced and I'm sure 90 per cent of that is relief that I didn't run away out of the building!
"I think I scare him because I'm quite relaxed during the week and then about 10 minutes before I dance I suddenly start going a bit potty, it's quite scary".
The brunette beauty loves wearing long outfits on the show because they can hide her feet so the audience and the judges - Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood, Len Goodman and Darcey Bussell - can't see if she makes a mistake.
Speaking at the Q Awards on Monday (21.10.13), she added: "I had a long dress on Saturday night [19.10.13] which really helped but next time I'm gonna have a dress that goes to the floorboards, then no-one knows what's happening."
Sophie is currently 6/4 favourite with 888sport.com to lift the Glitterball Trophy at the end of the series, with former 'Coronation Street' actress Natalie Gumede and 'Hollyoaks' star Ashley Taylor Dawson seen as her strongest competition at 2/1 and 4/1 respectively.
But those searching for value can look no further than Hairy Biker Dave Myers, 'Dragons' Den' star Deborah Meaden and former Bond girl Fiona Fullerton, who are all available at 100/1.
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