Strictly saved me, says Balvinder Sopal

As the remaining three couples in Strictly Come Dancing prepare for tonight's final, eliminated semi-finalist Balvinder Sopal has been describing how the show saved her.

The EastEnders actor, from Gillingham, Kent, had been dealing with the death of her mother in the run-up to her TV dance show experience.

Sopal said Strictly had been "a healing journey, better than any counselling I could have had".

She told BBC Radio Kent the experience had been "brilliant" and that she had "achieved something on my bucket list".

Speaking about her mother, who died in early 2024, Sopal said: "She was my cheerleader."

"Last year was a very difficult year and Strictly came at the right time and saved me," she said.

Sopal and dance partner Julian Caillon made Strictly history by becoming the first couple in the show's 21-year history to survive five dance-offs.

She finally left the competition on Sunday after a sixth dance-off, this time against West End star Amber Davies.

"I still want to be on the dance floor," she said.

"I'm waking up in the middle of the night going 'what's the waltz step?'

"Everyone knows I've been wanting to do this for the last 21 years."

The actor, who has played Suki Panesar in EastEnders since 2020, was born and bred in the Medway towns.

She said she had been "overwhelmed" by the support from her home town.

"It has made my heart burst with such joy and pride," she said.

Sopal said she had wanted to learn how to dance and she has now "fulfilled that - but so much more came from that".

She said Strictly had changed "my whole mindset, how I look at my body and what it can do for me".

"I was just in a constant state of happiness," she said.

"I was walking on air and I couldn't believe I could feel so alive."

Saturday's Strictly final features West End star Amber Davies, YouTuber George Clarke and former Lioness and sports broadcaster Karen Carney.

Sopal said: "It's a very exciting final. All three of them are worthy of the glitterball.

"They all have some brilliant show pieces."

The final will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 19:00 GMT.

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