DOOLEY: DANCING MADE ME LOOPY!

CHAMPION Stacey Dooley has revealed how she went through hell to secure her Strictly victory.

The TV journalist, 31, had a training schedule that was so tough it drove her “loopy”.

In a tell-all chat with the Daily Star Sunday, Stacey said: “I totally underestimated the workload. I thought, ‘It will be great. I’ll be in the UK for a few months. I’ll stop before Christmas, I’ll dance for a few hours a day – perfect’.

“But you train for 12 hours a day, everything hurts and you’re in bits. You don’t know the routine, you’re driving yourself loopy.

“When I did the cha cha in the second week I wanted the floor to open. I literally wanted the floor to open and swallow me whole. My legs were all over the shop. I felt like an idiot because I hadn’t done it before.

“And then Craig Revel Horwood gave me four points. I was so mortified.”

Stacey’s hard work paid off as she topped the vote last night.

The presenter beamed as she lifted the Glitterball trophy alongside dance partner Kevin Clifton, 36.

An estimated 14million viewers saw them pull off three sensational routines, including a Foxtrot.

They had been the bookies’ favourites to win for weeks and were so popular they never faced the dance-off.

Paying tribute to Kevin, Stacey said: “He is nurturing and very patient. I can’t tell you how important that is.

“He’s in a league of his own as a dancer and also as a person.

“He’s one of the most awesome people I’ve ever met. It’s been a dream.”

Stacey made her name fronting hard-hitting documentaries for the BBC. But her Strictly stint is set to spark a career change. She said: “One of the reasons I wanted to do Strictly was just to show my lighter side.

“I’ve been able to have conversations with the general public about lighter celebratory things.

“Sometimes my work is so intense it can be very harrowing and serious. And it has to be because the subjects are very dark a lot of time.

“I’ve been asked to do lots of shows and I always said Strictly was the only one I’d do because it’s such a classy show. It’s the biggest show on telly.

“There’s a really nice feel about Strictly. It’s not cheap, it’s brilliant.

“I’m just so made up that I said yes to Strictly.

“It’s been one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done.”

ASHLEY Roberts has hinted she is planning a pop comeback after failing to win the show.The former Pussycat Doll said: “I have to say the show has lit a fire in me again. I just forgot how much I love doing it, so something in the performance world would be nice.”Ashley and her partner Pasha Kovalev endured long training sessions to master their routines.And even though she is in tip-top shape, she still found it tough.Ashley said: “I thought it would be physically challenging but also the mental strain is intense.“I’m still huffing and puffing but I guess I’m used to it.”

INTERNET sensation Joe Sugg has confessed meeting Strictly partner Dianne Buswell has changed his life.The pair have formed a close relationship after training together for more than three months.In a chat with the Daily Star Sunday, a smitten Joe, 27, said: “I’ve had the best time of my life. Dianne has been everything. She’s got such a great sense of humour.”Joe made his name as a social media star with millions of subscribers. But starring on Strictly has gained him a new fanbase.He said: “I get stopped by the older generation, people that know me from Strictly rather than from YouTube.”

STEPS star Faye Tozer is set to cash in on her Strictly success.Steps are not set to reunite until late next year, meaning she has the chance to do solo projects. And she has admitted she wants to keep performing.The 43-year-old said: “Outside of Steps I do a lot of musical theatre and things like that, so for me Strictly has shown people more of what I can do.”She added: “I had preconceived ideas about Strictly.“I had no idea it was going to be this hard but I wouldn’t swap it for the world.”

■ TRIUMPH: Stacey and partner Kevin handed trophy