Strictly Come Dancing star Tasha Ghouri has credited the show with restoring her confidence and making her feel more "wholesome".
The 26-year-old - a former contestant on Love Island - has been this year's standout performer with partner Aljaz Skorjanec, topping the leaderboard six times, including the last three weeks in a row.
Despite her success with the judges, Ghouri is only third-favourite with the bookies to win the show behind Chris McCausland and Sarah Hadland, but nevertheless she has admitted that she is "grateful" for the opportunity to take part.
"I feel like Strictly has brought out a much more confident side of me, and kind of reconnected me with the old Tasha," she said.
"Years ago, I loved dancing in the commercial world, so it's a bit of a throwback to those days. It's been so great to dance again and learn these new styles.
"I'm feeling more confident and wholesome – grateful, really."
Asked about her pre-show rituals, she replied: "I like to play really loud music to cope with nerves. The Saturdays' Megamix, that's the sort of thing I like to listen to.
"I like to be in my own little world pretty much and kind of zone out for a while and get my head in the zone, then hit the dancefloor."
Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight at 7.05pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
> Strictly Come Dancing 2024: This week's songs and dances revealed
Neil Wilkes
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