Fleur East said performing on Strictly Come Dancing each week sporting glamorous outfits has been “wonderful” for her marriage of 12 years.
The singer and radio DJ scored the first 40 on the BBC dancing competition on Saturday alongside her partner Vito Coppola, after performing her couple’s choice dance at Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom.
East, 35, said she channelled her inner Destiny’s Child during the TV special as she danced to a megamix of songs by the 90s US girl group to land the top mark of the series.
The moves, the outfits, the Destiny's Child Megamix 😱 We lost our breath watching Fleur and Vito! #Strictly@FleurEast @Vito__Coppola pic.twitter.com/Ck1ikNYxMv
— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) November 19, 2022
Speaking about her perfect score on The Graham Norton Show, she said: “It is the most iconic week of the show and to get there and score so well was incredible.
“Especially as it has been rough being in the dance off twice and having lots of harsh criticism.”
East added that she has had the opposite experience of the so-called Strictly ‘curse.’ She said: “The show’s been a blessing for my marriage, it’s been great.
“We’ve been together for 12 years and how often in your marriage do you dress up and look different every week, and get to do all these sexy dances in front of your husband?
“After the Argentine tango it was like we got married again! It was wonderful.”
The ‘Strictly curse’ has seen several relationships form over the years between celebrities and their professional dance partners.
The Graham Norton Show airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Friday at 10.40pm.