I fear Chris Evans ruined my chances - The Sun

STRICTLY star Denise Van Outen has blamed Chris Evans for potentially wrecking her cha-cha-chances of waltzing off with the crown.

Radio 2 DJ Evans caused uproar in October when he appeared to call for his fellow former Big Breakfast host to be axed from the BBC show because Denise had appeared in West End musicals.

Since then Denise has struggled to shake off the public's perception of her as a professional dancer — and reports suggest she is being saved by the judges' scores after scoring low viewer votes.

Before last night's performance — in which she wowed the judges with a fusion of quick-step and jive to Jackie Wilson's Reet Petite — Denise and dance partner James Jordan, hit out at claims she has an unfair advantage.

James explained: "It all started from what Chris Evans said on Radio 2 about how Denise shouldn't be in the show because she is dance-trained. She left stage school age 13!"

The pair pointed out that all the remaining celebs on Strictly had similar past dance experience, and they pleaded with viewers to judge Denise on each dance.

James added: "Lisa Riley is dance-trained at stage school, so are Dani Harmer and Kimberley Walsh. If you want audience reaction, do back-flips — and Louis Smith has that advantage."

James also revealed he and Denise are putting in 11-hour days to get their routines just right. He said: "Everyone is saying Denise is a professional dancer. I can assure you she is not because I am the one who trains with her. The reason we put in so many hours is because we have to."

Denise added: "I've spoken to Chris Evans and he said that wasn't what he said. But he has caused a little bit of damage because people do think that.

"Yet if you look at the shows I have been in, in the West End, I haven't danced in them. The only show I did dance in, and it was only a bit at the end, was Chicago — and that was in 2001.

"Kimberley has just finished Shrek and she danced in that. She admits to me it's unfair what has been said about me. I don't find dancing easy at all. If I were a professional dancer it would take three hours to learn a dance — and it takes me three days!

"Every time we get good scores it is because of hard work, not previous dance training. I am definitely unfairly seen by the public and it could stop me winning.

"My message to the voters would be to judge me fairly on the night in the way it should be judged — on the dancing — and to be aware of how hard I've worked."

Denise and James have had to deal with a number of setbacks, including Denise's grandad passing away, and James getting injured twice and even forgetting his steps last week.

James admitted he had never had to conquer so many troubles in all his seven series on the show, but Denise insisted dancing had helped her deal with her grandad's death.

She said: "It's been tough but once you start rehearsing you go into a world of your own.

"In a way it has been quite comforting — not just for me, but for my family. It takes your mind off things.

"It's a bit of a cliché, but as a performer it's a little bit like 'the show must go on'."

Despite Denise's insistence she is a dance novice, she certainly looked pro last week when James forgot the steps to their salsa routine and she danced through his mistake.

Even Judge Craig Revel Horwood joked that she was better than James.

Recalling his horror, James said: "We got past the bit that wasn't going well in rehearsal and I was so happy that I started to enjoy myself.

"Then I got to the bit which was easy — and forgot to turn."

Denise added: "I thought I had gone wrong. So I was relieved to find out James had!"

With just two weeks of the competition left Denise is looking forward to being back home with her husband, stage actor Lee Mead, winner of the BBC series Any Dream Will Do, and two-year-old daughter Betsy.

She said: "There's an end in sight where I can spend quality time with my family.

"I'm lucky Lee has been through this before so he knows what it's like. He's been so supportive. He's helping out with Betsy, and she's at nursery in the day."

And she revealed she has a full year planned for 2013 — which might involve the patter of more tiny feet.

Denise said: "We have the Strictly Tour to look forward to. It will be nice not to have the pressure of the Strictly show and just the dancing, which I absolutely love.

"I've also got some TV projects which are being announced in January — and I'd like to have more kids, so we'll see!"