Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has warned bookie's favourite Maisie Smith not to get cocky over her impressive head start.
EastEnders actress Maisie, 19, is dancing with professional choreographer Gorka Marquez in the competition this year.
She has previously competed in Strictly's Children in Need special and is also a trained dancer.
In recent days she has soared to the top spot as this year's predicted winner after bookmakers slashed her odds to 2-1.
But despite her convincingly good start, Shirley, 60, has revealed the actress needs to put in everything and more if she wants to lift the Glitterball trophy.
On Maisie's head start, Shirley told The Sun : "I know she won the special but if I was Maisie I wouldn't take anything for granted because doing one dance is not like doing 10 weeks.
"You've got to be there and you've got to be full on and you've got to go the whole nine yards.
"You could see the competitive spirit, you could feel it. These people all look like they were at the starting block, ready to move forward."
Shirley also admitted comedian Bill Bailey should not be underestimated.
Bill is dancing with Oti Mabuse and Shirley is convinced he has an interesting side which will be unleashed in the new series, and is excited to see where he will go in the competition.
She told fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood he may not be the expected novelty act like ex-politician Ed Balls when he appeared on the show in 2018.
Shirley said he began "rotating his hips" and she "wasn't expecting it", adding it was "actually amazing".
The judge is thrilled to see what is in store for the rest of the celebrities and their dancing partners.
She is particularly excited to see Nicola Adams and Katya Jones dance together as Strictly's first ever same-sex couple.
Shirley told Mirror Online: "I'm very excited about the same-sex couple. That's long overdue."
*Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One.
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