Strictly legend Kristina Rihanoff fears the constant glare of social media can take a toll on celebrities and the professionals.
The Russian dancer, 44, said: “I think everyone is under a lot of pressure because they can read the comments, see what people say.
“When I joined the show it wasn’t like that, it was pure ballroom dancing, there were no extra things.
“And then a couple of years later, during my eight years on Strictly, all of a sudden everything changed, we were allowed props and more things to the production.
“So it added a lot of pressure to deliver even more spectacular numbers. And of course, anybody can tweet something not very nice and we have to read that, and you think ‘I worked so hard all week’.
“You dance sometimes eight to nine hours a day to prepare your dance. People don’t realise how intense that is.”
Several dancers, meanwhile, have shed the pounds during a tough training regime.
Loose Women star Judi Love, 41, is among them – but says “losing inches” hasn’t affected her sexiness.
Judi, partnered with Graziano di Prima, said: “I’m always sexy. Sexiness is something you have internally as it comes with confidence and that doesn’t accumulate to size. “So I was sexy before, I’m sexy now – and I’ll be sexy after. Mama always gets chatted up!”
But she, too, rules out a TV romance, adding: “We aren’t going anywhere, all I’m seeing is his face. My mind is focused on dance.”
