IM SO SHY AND SO NERVOUS, BUT PEOPLE MISINTERPRET THAT AS ARROGANCE

STRICTLY STAR MAISIE SMITH TELLS OK!’S SARAH MORTON WHY SHE FEELS MISUNDERSTOOD BY THE PUBLIC AND HOW THE PRESSURE OF BEING A FAVOURITE TO WIN HAS BEEN TAKING ITS TOLL

When we speak to Strictly sensation Maisie Smith, it’s just a few days before the weekend shows. The 19-year-old is video-calling us after a day spent on our exclusive shoot and the interview is going well, until she relives the moment she found herself in a dance-off against The Wanted singer Max George. “It wasn’t a nice feeling,” she says, through muffled sobs as she recalls the moment the judges chose to save her. “Max is the most amazing guy, and I felt like I’d taken his opportunity away from him.”

This is Maisie all over. As becomes clear very quickly on our shoot and chat, the EastEnders star is a genuinely lovely young lady – professional, sensitive, intelligent beyond her years – and has clearly felt the pressure of being an early Strictly favourite.

Since the start, her incredible moves meant expectation on her and professional partner Gorka Márquez had been high, so seeing her in the dance-off was hard to believe. Almost as hard to believe as the vitriol aimed at her from certain corners of social media, where trolls labelled her “arrogant” and “cocky”, due in no small part to her confidence on the dance floor. It’s something Maisie has been trying to get to grips with.

“Being a young woman, it’s hard to love yourself and be happy with yourself, especially when there are people who try and tear you down,” she says, sadly. “I want other young girls who are going through the same thing to know, I get it. I’m a human being and it’s hard.”