Caroline Flack said her stint as a Strictly Come Dancing contestant has been so profound that it has changed her entire outlook on life.
And she said her semi-final score of a perfect 40 – including a rare 10 from tough Craig Revel Horwood – for her salsa to Ricky Martin’s Maria was the finest achievement of her life.
Former Xtra Factor presenter Caroline heads into the final as the bookies’ favourite after her colossal score with partner Pasha Kovalev which rounded off the semi and left the couple at the top of the leader board.
She said of the high score: “I think it was the greatest moment of my life. My biggest achievement.
Even Pasha admitted he was taken aback by their perfect score. He said: “I was surprised by the 40 actually. It was amazing but at the same time like ‘really?’. It just happened but it was a lot of fun.”
Caroline said of her months in the BBC1 show: “It’s changed my mind about everything i want to do. It’s completely opened up my mind to different things I want to try – it’s given me a massive boost in confidence and it’s made me feel very positive.
“I just know there’s other things I can do now. It shows you can put your mind to anything. You might succeed, you might not, but it’s worth giving it a try because you never know.”
She went on: “It’s changed my life completely it’s changed my life in a way where I feel more confident, I’ve realised there are different things I want to do.
“It releases all these endorphins that I never knew were there naturally and you just come out on a high every day.”
Strictly has trounced ITV’s The X Factor – her old employer – continually in the ratings this year, but Caroline had no bad words about the rival show.
“I had three brilliant years on The X Factor and it was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. Strictly is completely different, it’s a whole different show – I’m dancing, it’s not presenting. But this is one of the best things I’ve done – ever.”
The final of Strictly Come Dancing is screened tonight from 6.30pm on BBC1.
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