Helen Skelton has become the new favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing as she took to social media to share an emotional post about the importance of her family.

Single mother-of-three Helen has had support from her family while she impresses judges with her dance routines alongside professional partner Gorka Marquez on Strictly.

Helen, who lives in Leeds, is close to her family who have been watching the show with her children every week.

Her family, who accidentally missed last week’s show when her aunty went to turn up the volume but actually turned the TV off during Helen’s segment, rallied together on Saturday night in ‘Team Helen’ t-shirts with a photo of Helen presenting Channel 5’s This Week on the Farm which is filmed at Cannon Hall Farm in Yorkshire.

Helen, who also regularly presents BBC’s Countryfile, shared the photo on Instagram with these words: “Family. Because at the end of the day if you walk over the threshold and they’re happy….. you’re happy. Grateful for my gang holding parties for the live shows… because it means my kids don’t want me to be knocked out as they get Saturday nights fuelled on Coca Cola and cousin love. Grateful.#family #mygang #strictly #home #mygang #mybabies.”

Following an incredible tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John on Saturday night in which Helen performed a Viennese Waltz to Hopelessly Devoted To You from the film Grease, the former Blue Peter star was placed firm favourite for winning the show after scoring 31 points out of 40.

Helen admitted last week she felt more “functional” than “sexy,” when partner Gorka tasked her with being “sassy” and “sexy.”

Helen, 39, who has a strong throng of fans such as the “farmy army,” has been inundated with supportive messages.

The star, who has described herself as the ‘nanny’ on the show, split from husband and father of her children Leeds Rhinos’ Richie Myler earlier this year.

Strictly Come Dancing: Helen Skelton becomes new favourite as she shares the importance of her ‘gang’