WE ARE STILL GOOD PALS, SAYS GRAEME

STRICTLY star Graeme Swann last night lifted the lid on the “snog-gate” that rocked TV’s biggest show.

The cheeky former cricketer, 39, has spoken out after fellow contestant Seann Walsh was caught kissing married dance partner Katya Jones.

They are still good pals and he claims the pressure on the couple since the scandal broke has been immense. Graeme said: “People keep talking about the

Strictly curse and because it’s a huge show this has generated a lot of interest.

“But I see the other side as well. I see the pressure it puts on people’s lives.

“When we all got together for the first time after it had been all over the news, the pair were very professional about it.

“Seann and Katya kept their heads down and concentrated on routines.”

The ex-England bowler also denied he and Seann had fallen out because he made a joke about the

“snog-gate”, saying: “It’s not true.” And Graeme also squashed rumours that Seann had been “frozen out” from the celebrities’ and dancers’ private Whatsapp group chat.

Tonight, as part of Strictly’s Halloween-themed weekend, Graeme will be dressing up as a zombie and dancing the cha-cha to the Michael Jackson classic Thriller.

And he joked: “I will be channeling my inner Jacko. He was pop’s best dancer. I just hope he doesn’t turn in his grave when I do it.”

Strictly isø on BBC One tonight at 6.50pm.