Strictly shocker stunned me too! Mollie King on her surprise survival in TV dance-off

STRICTLY star Mollie King has admited she thought her dancefloor dream was over – before being saved in last week’s results shocker.

In what has been called the biggest surprise in the show’s history, Aston Merrygold, 29, was eliminated last week after ending up in the dance-off.

Mollie, 30, says having to face him made her think her time on the show may be up.

“I definitely thought it could be over,” said Mollie.

“It was a huge shock that Aston was in the dance-off.

“I don’t think he should have been in it because it’s obvious that he has been one of the best dancers in the competition.

“The minute he was announced as the first one in the dance-off everyone here was definitely thinking that nobody wanted to be in it with him.

“If it had been a different week or a different dance it could have been a very different outcome.

“We’re very grateful and we feel very lucky to be through.”

The shock elimination led to a social media backlash against judge Craig Revel Horwood for giving the JLS singer a score of just four and against new head judge Shirley Ballas whose casting vote carried the day.

But Mollie insists she’s not worried about any possible backlash from disgruntled viewers.

It’s the second week in a row that Mollie has been in the bottom two with pro partner AJ Pritchard, 23.

And with next week’s show being the annual highlight from Blackpool, she says she’s stepped up her training in the hope of avoiding making it a hat-trick on tonight’s results show.

“It’s so tough being in the dance-off and making Blackpool would be an absolute dream,” said Mollie, who danced a Paso Doble last night to Layla by Derek and the Dominoes.

“We have been putting in 12 hours every day this week to try and do this dance the best we possibly can.

“More than anything we’d just love to get through.”

AJ said that despite Mollie’s misgivings last week he told her that if she eliminated a small mistake in her original dance she would go through.

And he has been driving her harder than ever to make sure they make it to the home of ballroom next Saturday.

“I’ve said to Mollie that we’re going to leave it all on the floor and there will be no holding back,” said AJ.

Mollie says the dawn-to-dusk training sessions have left her feeling the fittest she’s ever been and she’s happy to show off her toned shape in the sometimes skimpy outfits.

There was speculation this week that the pair were more than just dance partners after being pictured out together.

But Mollie was keen to quash the gossip.

“I think it’s inevitable with the show that you get romance rumours,” adds Mollie.

“We just have to laugh it off.

“He is lovely looking but I don’t fancy him.”