Strictly Come Dancing 2021 star Judi Love has opened up on her "unbelievable" battle with coronavirus, as she continues to suffer with the effects.
Judi tested positive for Covid-19 last month, and was forced to miss a week of Strictly as well as a lot of training.
After testing negative for the virus, she was able to return on Saturday night, but she and her dance partner Graziano di Prima had been training over Zoom, with only one day of rehearsal time due to her recovery.
Judi has revealed how the virus affected her chest, and said she had "immense" fatigue and other side effects.
But she was determined to return to Strictly, and not pull out of the show, even if she left that week.
Sympathising with those who suffered with the virus during lockdowns, and thinking of those who have sadly died from Covid, Judi wanted to get back out there.
Judi was the latest star to be booted off Strictly on Sunday evening, after she and her professional dance partner found themselves in the dreaded dance off with Katya Jones and Adam Peaty.
Craig Revel Horwood and his fellow judges Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley Ballas all took it in turns to reveal who they were choosing to save, and Judi was sent home.
But Judi isn't too disheartened about the exit, after making it to week six and achieving so much with the show - not to mention the fact she's made a friend for life.
Judi revealed on Loose Women on Tuesday how glad she was to leave "the right way", after fears she would have to pull out of the show due to her Covid battle.
She told her co-stars: "[There was] no training. The fatigue was immense, it was unbelievable and chest-wise and stuff.
"I've got to say, I really wanted to just go back, I wouldn’t put my health at risk or nobody else's. Strictly have been so amazing making sure I'm alright, that I was safe, that everyone else was safe, and that it was the right time to go back.
"I was really like guys, I wanna get back on the dancefloor even if I am voted off, I wanna know that I have done it this way."
On her health battle, she went on: "Covid with me, it was about the chest so the fact I could get back out there again...
"Unfortunately this horrible virus has affected all of us, we've lost so many people. I think there was a sense of fight in me of no, it's not gonna stop me.
"I thought of all the other people who went through Covid when we were really isolated," saying it inspired her to keep going.
Graziano also appeared on the show and heaped praise on Judi for how well she did, and how she coped amid her battle with Covid.
He said: "I'm gonna miss my queen so much. Not sharing time with her every day, that’s the most struggling thing right now.
'The fact she came back, I could see in her eyes that she was fighting."
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV.
