Helen Skelton shared her secret approach to BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, which she insists helped her get to the final with her professional dance partner Gorka Marquez

Helen Skelton gave fans an insight into her approach to the show

BBC Morning Live presenter Helen Skelton has revealed she had a specific rule in place for her dance partner Gorka Marquez, while on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022.

The 41-year-old signed up for the dance competition, following the public announcement of her split from her long-term husband Richie Myler.

The pair had been married for eight years and have three young children together; Ernie, nine, Louis, eight, and Elsie, four.

Aside from her role as a mother, Helen is no stranger to tackling big challenges. When it comes to taking on such daunting tasks, she explained that she tries not to look too far ahead, and instead focuses on the present.

“I take it one day at a time, and I don’t overthink things,” Helen shared. “My motto in life has always been, ‘How do you eat an elephant?’.

“You just go little by little, bit by bit. I break it down and I use that approach with everything.”

Strictly’s Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez made it to the final in 2022
Just some of her challenges have included kayaking 2010 miles down the Amazon River, as well as running multiple marathons.

Three years ago, she showed fans a different side of her when she participated in Strictly Come Dancing.

Reflecting on her journey, Helen suggested that her secret approach compared to her co-stars may have aided her progress in the contest.

Speaking to Bella Magazine, she said: “When I did Strictly Come Dancing, my friends would be thinking about what their next dance was, but I never let Gorka talk about the next week.”

Sharing advice that this year’s celebrity hopefuls may want to take on board, she added: “Think about what you need to do today and tomorrow. That’ll get you closer to where you’d ultimately like to be.”

Helen’s stellar performances on Strictly Come Dancing frequently garnered high praise from the audience, and the judging panel; Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke, and Motsi Mabuse.

Yet despite her best efforts, she and her dance partner missed out on clinching the coveted Glitterball trophy, losing to Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal.

Helen Skelton announced her split from Richie Myler in 2022
While she didn’t win the show, the experience left Helen with a newfound prowess in dance, and an uplifted spirit after a tough personal period.

Helen announced her split from Richie in April 2022, just four months after they celebrated the arrival of their third child.

At that time, she issued a statement saying: “Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children.”

Revealing her reason for participating in the BBC programme during a VT, she shared with viewers: “I did Strictly this year because sometimes you just need to jump on the opportunity and chance to put a big smile on your face.”

In an emotional exchange with her partner Gorka, she added: “Strictly have given me so many things already. It’s helped me remember who I am and what I am about.”

Helen has reportedly found love again with her co-star Gethin Jones, though this hasn’t been confirmed.

The pair had been married for eight years and have three young children together; Ernie, nine, Louis, eight, and Elsie, four.