Strictly Come Dancing’s Alexandra Burke hits back after dance off

Alexandra Burke has hit back at viewers who brand her ‘fake’ on Strictly Come Dancing.

The former X Factor winner turned West End star appeared in the dance off for a second time at the weekend.

While Alexandra has had no problems impressing the judges, viewers at home have been a lot harder to win over.

Many have accused the performer of already being a ‘professional’ and slammed her ‘fake tears’.

But now Alexandra has hit back in a new interview with the Radio Times.

“A lot has been made of me being a seasoned performer but every week when I start learning a new dance I feel completely out of my depth,” she said.

Alexandra, partnered with Strictly pro Gorka Marquez, continued: “Like everyone else, I’m nervous I’ll forget the steps or I’ll get my heel caught and fall flat on my face.

“But the one thing I have learnt over the years, and that I’ve brought to Strictly, is that you can’t let those nerves show on your face. You have to smile and the audience will smile with you.”

Meanwhile, Alexandra also responded to the suggestion that she was ‘fake’, made by people on websites like Twitter.

“The thing is, I fear some viewers see that as me not being genuine,” Alexandra explained. “I can’t help but sometimes read the negative comments people have written on social media about me being fake and it does upset me.

“It’s just such a shame that some people can’t see how hard I’m working, how nervous I am, but also how much I’m loving every minute of this experience – there’s nothing fake about that!”

And she told The Sun newspaper: “Sometimes my emotions come through and sometimes people don’t like that. But when you get hateful comments it makes me feel guilty for showing emotion.

“It’s so hurtful — so, so hurtful. It has made me cry and it has made me get really upset.

Fighting words, but will they be enough to win over viewers?

Strictly Come Dancing 2017 continues this Saturday and Sunday night on BBC One with the Semi-Finals.