STRICTLY star Helen Skelton looked in high spirits ahead of last night’s live show as she let her hair down with Ellie Taylor.
The TV presenter, 39, looked glamorous and showed off her abs in a white crop top and bright red trousers as she walked away from the hotel bar holding two large glasses.
Helen Skelton had a relaxing beverage the night before the live Strictly show
Helen and Ellie Taylor went barefoot at the contestants’ hotel
Comedian Ellie was barefoot in flared trousers and an oversized hoodie as she chatted to Helen at the hotel entrance.
The pair looked relaxed just hours before taking to the ballroom for Movie Night.
Helen and partner Gorka Marquez finished high up the leaderboard with their Viennese Waltz scoring an impressive 31.
Ellie and Johannes Radebe weren’t as successful, scoring a full 10 points less with a 21 for their Cha Cha Cha to The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) from Mermaids.
And she faced the wrath of a particularly bullish head judge Shirley Ballas.
After calling Ellie’s movements “blockish”, Shirley then said: “And no heel leads. We are going into week three and you did a natural top and the first step of every step was a heel lead.
“So as from today, and that goes for everybody else, I’m not accepting any heel leads because you’ve been told, I know JoJo very much, you’ve got to get your weight and posture in the right place over a straight leg and give me that leg action.”
Viewers were shocked by the harsh critique.
One fan fumed: “Rude to Ellie. She wasn’t great but she was still better than that. Everyone should get higher than an eight now.”
A second echoed their thoughts, adding: “Shirley has her favourites and Ellie T isn’t one of them. Thought the tone of her comments was like a teacher telling off a child.”
A third questioned: “Shirley gave Ellie a 5? Why does she mark the women harder than the men.”
Helen was pictured after Saturday’s show in a long sleeve white top and jeans
