VICKY PATTISON ON COPING WITH STRESS OF THE SPOTLIGHT

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.

- BY 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: "I'm not complaining... I love my life. But I'm also not going to tell you it doesn't bother me, that's ridiculous. I'm human

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 hypersensitive person, but that exacerbated it.