I’m a Strictly star and my kids still sleep with me – my son, 7, won’t go unless I pay £20, says Helen Skelton

STRICTLY's Helen Skelton has revealed that her kids still sleep with her – saying her eldest son demanded £20 to return to his own bedroom.

The Strictly contestant – who split from rugby league star husband Richie Myler earlier this year – says her children struggle to nod off.

The star - who is partnered with Gorka Marquez on Strictly - is mum to Ernie, seven, Louis, five, and Elsie, 10 months.

She told : “Mine are terrible sleepers, they like to sleep in my bed which isn’t good, but then other people will be like ‘well that isn’t good?’

“Rather than ‘Oh that’s nice because they’ll be 18 soon!’  – but it’s survival!

"I got my eldest to sleep in his own bed the other night and he was negotiating a deal and said he would for £20!

"I was like – ‘I can’t give you £20 a night!’ No wonder I’ve had to go back to work!”

And she revealed the struggle of bringing up the kids alongside her career – even feeling guilty about getting a cleaner.

She said: “Like I hate cleaning, so I got a cleaner. I felt really bad about it at first, I felt really middle-class, and I would tidy up before they came, but then the lady said to me ‘why are you doing that, you are paying me to do this?’

“Oh, and don’t buy clothes that you need to iron! Again, why are you doing that to yourself."

Helen proved an impressive dancer on Strictly - and has been having secret coaching calls with BBC Breakfast's Dan Walker.

Dan told the : "I know Helen Skelton really well and I've been talking to her quite a bit and I think he's been fantastic and I told her she's going to be there for quite some time.

"She rang me the week before she went on and I told her 'you have to go into it with her eyes wide open'."