Here’s her competition

ALEXANDRA BURKE

Debbie McGee’s biggest female rival, who won The X Factor in 2008, has regularly topped the leaderboard with dance partner Gorka Marquez, winning a maximum 40 points for her samba in the semi-final.

But the 29-year-old singer has twice been in the dance-off, and some complain she has too much dance experience, coming from successful West End shows following her pop career.

There has also been the assertion that her tearful outbursts are ‘fake’, but the star – whose mother died aged 53 of kidney disease a week before rehearsals began – says: ‘My joy and my tears were 100 per cent genuine.’

JOE MCFADDEN

The Holby City actor, 42, is the last man standing. Teamed with Katya Jones, he is favourite to win after audacious routines such as his Cabaret themed samba and the incredible counterbalanced lift in the Argentine tango last week.

He had a slow start – his tango in week two scored a measly 22 points – and despite his new-found popularity he has been single for ‘years’. He says: ‘Love is not on the cards for me on this show – certainly not. I don’t know why I’m single. I must be unlovable, I don’t know. Who knows? Maybe I work too hard.’

GEMMA ATKINSON

A one-time soap star and lads mag pin-up turned radio DJ, Gemma, 33, survived a dance-off with Mollie King last week to squeak into the finals.

Dancing with popular Slovenian pro Aljaz Skorjanec, her highlight was her American smooth which earned her the only ten scores of her Strictly journey so far.

Her samba was called ‘lumpy’ by Craig and slated by Darcey. Rumours of a romance with Alexandra’s partner Gorka have also apparently caused friction behind the scenes.