Strictly Come Dancing star Lesley Joseph has said it would be “fantastic” if Ed Balls wins the show.

The Birds Of A Feather actress was the fifth celebrity to be voted off the show after the judges voted to save Daisy Lowe in the dance-off in the same week the former shadow chancellor came close to dropping his professional partner Katya Jones during a lift.

Lesley told ITV’s This Morning: “I know people criticise Ed Balls because there are better dancers but he gets better every week and he is loving it and I wouldn’t care if he won. It would be fantastic.

“It is essentially an entertainment show and it’s all about your journey and this year is incredibly strong.

“It’s anybody’s game this year, they have made a fantastic programme.”

Lesley, who was partnered with professional Anton Du Beke, said she still speaks to her fellow contestants all the time, saying: “We have a big Whatsapp group and talk every day.”

However, she has never sat down and watched all her performances because she will only be able to see her mistakes.

She admitted: “I can never watch them, the only one I’ve seen is the Charleston because I can’t watch myself.

“All I see is ‘I should be doing this, I should be holding my body up’, all the things Anton told me to do.”

Lesley will next be seen on screen resuming her role as maneater Dorien Green in the Birds Of A Feather Christmas special.