Strictly's Fleur East shares how show has affected marriage as she's 'left out'

Fleur East has shared how appearing on Strictly Come Dancing has affected her marriage. The Hits Radio host married long-term partner Marcel Badiane-Robin in 2019 in the stunning surroundings of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

Fleur and Marcel, who is a fashion designer and was the founder of the Marr Ldn brand before it ceased production last year, said 'I Do' in front of 120 guests with Harry Redknapp and Hollyoaks star Malique Thompson-Dwyer, among the famous faces in attendance after she took part in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here alongside.

And speaking on The Graham Norton Show on Friday night, Fleur shared how she has experience the opposite experience of the so-called Strictly 'curse.' The singer and presenter said: “The show’s been a blessing for my marriage, it’s been great.

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"We’ve been together for 12 years and how often in your marriage do you dress up and look different every week, and get to do all these sexy dances in front of your husband? After the Argentine tango it was like we got married again! It was wonderful."

It comes after she revealed how she's been 'left-out' behind the scenes. Last weekend, Fleur and dance partner Vito Coppola scored the first 40 on the BBC dancing competition after performing her couple's choice routine in Blackpool's Tower Ballroom.

Fleur, 35, said she channelled her inner Destiny’s Child during the TV special as she danced to a megamix of songs by the 90s US girl group to land the top mark of the series. Speaking about her to Graham Norton, she said: “It is the most iconic week of the show and to get there and score so well was incredible.

"Especially as it has been rough being in the dance-off twice and having lots of harsh criticism." But after getting through to week ten after finally getting hard-to-please judge Craig Revel-Horwood to dust off his top-scoring paddle, Fleur revealed that her dance partner appears to be getting close to her husband.

After heading to speak to Claudia Winkleman, the co-host told her: "Vito and Marcelle are now texting all the time. You're slightly left out, not in a bad way, but are you occasionally like 'guys?'."

Fleur then explained: "I was lying in bed with my husband the other night and he was laughing. I said 'what's going on?' And he said, 'oh Vito.." Looking at Italian dancer Vito, she added: "I was like 'why are you messaging my husband and not me?'"

Earlier this month Fleur paid tribute to Marcel on his birthday. Sharing a selfie of the pair on Instagram, she wrote: "Today we celebrate my Husband @marcel__robin ! Happy birthday to the most special man in my life. Twelve years together and still feels new everyday. The true reason I am who I am today, I couldn’t do life without him. Happy birthday my love. Je t’aime."

And Vito was among the first to reply, typing: "Happy birthday @marcel__robin. Guys you two together are just True Love. Such a wonderful couple and pure souls. All the beeeeest!!!!!"
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