Strictly Come Dancing’s Alexandra Burke hits back at “hurtful” Twitter users

Strictly Come Dancing’s Alexandra Burke has hit out at “hurtful” Twitter users.

The former X Factor champ has spoken out after being the focus of thousands of Tweets.

And not a lot of them were very nice.

“I have struggled with some of the public’s reaction,” Alexandra said this week. “I’ve had my fair share of negative press since winning The X Factor nine years ago, but I’ve never experienced anything like this.

“Twitter seems to have given people permission to be incredibly hurtful.”

Speaking to the Radio Times, she added: “They don’t seem to realise that I have feelings and get upset.

“The saddest thing is that I started the show completely myself – my joy and my tears were 100 per cent genuine, however much people said they were fake – but I’m now so self-conscious, I try not to react at all in case people say, ‘Oh, look, here are the fake tears again’.”

While some people are being mean, others are rallying around Alexandra.

They include singer Eoghan Quigg who finished third on The X Factor in 2008, behind Alexandra who won the series.

He said of the ‘hate’ aimed towards Alexandra: “I honestly don’t know what the craic is. Alex is a really thoughtful person.

“We always really got on. She was always on the ball. She gave 110 percent. Of course, she’s going to be nervous. She’s on prime-time TV!”

Speaking to heat magazine, Eoghan tipped Alexandra to win the series.

“If it’s down to raw natural talent, then she wins hands down for me. What you see is what you get with Alex,” he praised. “I hope people realise that she’s a really nice, down to earth girl.”

Strictly is back this Saturday and Sunday night on BBC One.