Strictly star Alexandra Burke hits out at ‘fake news’ of a meltdown
ALEXANDRA BURKE has hit out at “fake” stories claiming she has behaved like a diva on the set of Strictly Come Dancing.
The performer said she was upset by reports alleging that she had shouted at Gorka Marquez, her dance partner, and suffered a backstage “meltdown” after finding herself in the bottom two. Burke, 29, has faced the dance-off for two consecutive weeks but survived, with the judges putting her through to this weekend’s semi-final.
She has pressed on despite the death of her mother, Melissa Bell, days before the contest began. “It was always a dream of hers that I would one day be part of the show and I know that she would have wanted me to carry on,” Burke said at the time. But negative newspaper stories and social media reaction prompted Burke to post a message yesterday that read: “I’ve tried my best to just be strong and brush it all off but mentally it’s taking its toll. It hurts so much to read yet another fake story when all I want to do is enjoy this journey on Strictly. Please spread love… life is just too short for all of this.”
Burke scored the first perfect 10s of the series, for her jive in week four, and was installed as the bookmakers’ favourite. She broke down afterwards, telling Claudia Winkleman: “I wish my mum was here to see this.” However, in the past two weeks she has failed to win a sufficient number of public votes to avoid the dance-off.
It was alleged that she went into “meltdown” after finding herself in the bottom two once again on Sunday, and that she had been in floods of tears in the backstage ‘green room’ where contestants relax after the show.
Burke dismissed the story, saying: “After the show on the weekend I actually wasn’t in the green room. I was in the physio room treating an injury and then went home. No meltdown… just happy that we made it through another week.”
Some viewers have suggested on social media that her previous experience has given her an unfair advantage: after winning The X Factor in 2008, she went on to star in West End productions of The Bodyguard and Sister Act. However, several other celebrities have had dance training.
If the rumours are to be believed, Alexandra Burke had a complete meltdown on Strictly Come Dancing after finding herself in the dance-off for the second week running. Alexandra and her partner, Gorka, came equal top of the leader board (with Debbie and Giovanni), just one mark off a perfect score.
Alexandra’s Mary Poppins Charleston was terrific, even if she did have a super ca litrocio us yellow costume. She was streets ahead of Gemma – delightful, but an actress who weirdly can’t act – and the wafty Mollie, who managed to make a rumba look like an advert for feminine hygiene products. It looks very unlikely that Alexandra can now win the glitterball. Is this racism as some have claimed?
I don’t believe so. The fact is viewers have not warmed to her. Alexandra’s West End experience may be held against her, but Joe Mcfadden starred in Rent
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and is hugely popular. So is Debbie Mcgee who trained as a ballerina.
I’m afraid that Alexandra seems fake and irritating. All her emoting is more suited to The X Factor.
The plot thickened yesterday when Debbie said cryptically, “Some people who are not very warm in real life come through on TV as very warm.”
Gulp. Whoever can she have in mind? Keeee-eep dancing!