Having to deal with scrutiny & criticism was real baptism of fire

STRICTLY star Vicky Pattison would no doubt be the first person to describe herself as a nervous and anxious woman who can struggle being in the spotlight.

- MITYA UNDERWOOD

The very thought of doing an arena show in front of a giant audience, like her best pal Pete Wicks did, "makes me want a Pepto-Bismol", she says.

In fact, after watching Pete compete in Strictly last year, the 37-year-old told her mum and manager she would never set foot on the famous dance floor.

Yet despite her sometimes crippling nerves, here she is cha-cha-cha-ing in front of millions of TV viewers.

Strictly, the star admits, is pushing her further out of her comfort zone than ever and she's delighted.

Vicky says: "I can't believe my luck most days. But I probably do have imposter syndrome, but I've never sat there and thought about it for long because it makes me uncomfortable.

"I've never thought, 'I'm the duck's nuts that's kind of gross. It would make me complacent and arrogant.

I'm happier being nervous." Since first appearing on screens in 2011 on Geordie Shore, Newcastle-born Vicky has won I'm A Celebrity (in 2015) and become a Loose Women panellist, podcaster and radio host. Of course, with fame comes attention.

Over the years she has managed to cope - but it has not been easy. She says: "Learning to deal with that level of scrutiny and criticism in my formative adult years was a baptism of fire.

I was probably always going to be a really hyper-sensitive person, but that exacerbated it.

"I'm not going to complain, though.