Strictly Come Dancing’s Kate Silverton has said it has been “heaven” hearing tales of women inspired by her performances on the show.
The BBC newsreader, who is partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec, said during an appearance on This Morning earlier this week she was told by Loose Women co-host Jane Moore that her dances had “inspired” the cast of the ITV show.
She told the Press Association that Moore said her routines made the Loose Women presenters believe they were capable of similar feats.
Silverton, 48, added it meant a lot to her to be a symbol of encouragement to other women.
She said: “We were on This Morning yesterday and saw all the Loose Women. They were having their production meeting and Jane Moore came over.
“She said: ‘You know what we are loving is seeing you throw yourself into it with such joy and maybe when we thought we couldn’t do it, you have inspired us to try’.
“That’s heaven. Whether someone is 17 or 70, or whatever age. To think that I came into this as a complete novice and now to be able to, through the skill of this man (Skorjanec), perform and dance, and love it.
“When I see that other people are getting something from it as well, that does mean a lot.”
Silverton, who will dance the rumba to Skin by Rag’n’Bone Man on Saturday night, added she had “not really engaged too much” in social media during her time on the show.
However, she said what she had read online about her had been positive and she has “a lovely community on my timeline”.
Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight on BBC One at 6.45pm.