Former England footballer Karen Carney has revealed her deep anxiety about the Strictly Come Dancing elimination process, confessing she feels "absolutely petrified" despite her success on the dancefloor.
The 38-year-old made the admission during her appearance on Thursday's It Takes Two with professional partner Carlos Gu, where presenter Fleur East questioned whether recent eliminations had sparked her competitive instincts.
"No, I'm absolutely petrified," Ms Carney declared, explaining that whilst she understands the show's competitive format, she struggles with the elimination aspect.
The sports star expressed particular distress about watching contestants leave the competition.
Karen Carney opened up about her back condition on Saturday
|BBC
"I don't like seeing, whether it be myself, or anyone else going home because no one deserves to because we're all working hard," she said.
Ms Carney revealed she had feared being the first couple eliminated during the initial results show.
During Saturday's programme, Ms Carney disclosed that she has been managing a spinal condition called Scheuermann's since her youth, which creates significant challenges for her dancing.
"I have this thing called Scheuermann's. I've had it since I was a kid. It's a curve in my spine so it's really, really hard to open my back up," she explained to viewers.
The condition means she faces physical limitations in executing certain dance movements. "There are certain elements that I just won't be able to do as well as I'd love to," she acknowledged.
Karen Carney shared how she feels 'petrified'
|BBC
Speaking on It Takes Two, she elaborated on the practical difficulties, particularly with achieving proper dance positioning. "It was hard and as Carlos mentioned, getting into frame is quite difficult," she said.
Despite these challenges, Ms Carney maintained an optimistic outlook, stating she remains "happy and healthy" and has seen considerable progress.
The former professional athlete admitted finding it difficult to reconcile her sporting background with her emotional response to the show's format.
"I know it's a competition but in my head it's not," she confessed during the interview.
Her vulnerability was evident as she described her coping strategy for dealing with elimination anxiety.
Latest developments
"But I know I've signed up to it so I'll just have to cuddle into [Carlos] and pray and just see what happens," she told Ms East.
Ms Carney emphasised her genuine affection for the Strictly experience whilst acknowledging her discomfort with the competitive elements.
"I love this and I don't like the process," she stated.
The dancing duo currently sits atop the combined leaderboard, having accumulated 51 points across two weeks of competition.
Their opening performance earned an impressive 31 points from the judges, whilst their second routine received 20 points.
Karen Carney appeared on Thursday's It Takes Two
|BBC
This Saturday's Movie Week will see Carney and Gu performing a Cha Cha to "She's A Lady" from the film Miss Congeniality. The themed week promises elaborate costumes and spectacular routines as all remaining couples compete to avoid elimination.
Gu has been praised by his celebrity partner for providing consistent support and encouragement, particularly in helping her manage the physical limitations imposed by her spinal condition. The pair will be aiming to impress the four-judge panel and secure their place in the competition for another week.