STRICTLY STARS FIGHT FOR FINAL People forget Alex has just lost her mum ... it’s bullying
Singer’s brother in plea to trolls
ALEXANDRA Burke’s brother has urged viewers to end her Strictly hell after online trolls branded her “fake” and “a diva”.
The singer found herself in the bottom two last week for a second week running after failing to get enough public votes – despite having jointly topped the leaderboard.
Alex, 29, has admitted being affected by claims that her tears on the BBC show are not real.
But half-brother Travoir slammed the online attacks.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, he said: “People forget she’s just lost her mum, they forget she is human.
“They’re attacking someone who is trying to please them. She’s upset, but she’s still working so hard – and they are tuning in to watch her.”
R&B singer Alex, who won X Factor nine years ago, has earned consistent praise from the Strictly judges – but has struggled to win over the public.
Her Charleston last week with partner Gorka Marquez, dancing to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from Mary Poppins, scored 39 points – equalled only by Debbie McGee. matter what you do, you still get criticised. People just don’t like people who are driven. She is being herself . “If she wasn’t crying they’d go, ‘Why’s she not crying? She’s acting tough’.” Security guard Travoir, of Sutton, Surrey, insisted Alex was no more experienced a dancer than her co-stars. He said: “Some comments are, ‘Oh, she does Broadway, so she’s a dancer’. “But everyone is [from a dancing background] on Strictly. The guy from EastEnders, he’s into drama so he’ll have done dancing. The JLS guy, he’ll have done dancing – and that girl from the Saturdays. They’re not getting abuse.” Alex told Radio Times this week: “The sad thing is, I started the show completely myself – my joy and tears were 100 per cent genuine. “But I’m now so selfconscious I try not to react at all in case people say, ‘Oh, fake tears’.” Alex’s mum, ex Soul II Soul singer Melissa Bell, died in August aged 53. Travoir said he and other family members try to shield Alex as she struggles with her grief. He said: “I tell her, some like you some don’t – just focus on the dancing. Even on X Factor some of the public didn’t like her. She proved them wrong.” Last night Alex was battling Debbie, Mollie King, Gemma Atkinson and Joe McFadden for places in next week’s final. She and Gorka danced a Salsa to Finally by CeCe Peniston and a Viennese Waltz to Tina Arena’s version of R.E.M’s Everybody Hurts. amy.sharpe@ trinitymirror.com