BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Tasha Ghouri admits 'one thing she'll say' about show as she names 'best friend'

Tasha Ghouri has named her 'best friend' in Strictly Come Dancing - and it's not her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec. The former Love Island star is continuing to impress in the BBC One dance contest with the professional dancer.

Last weekend, the pair came joint top of the leaderboard having recieved a near-perfect score following their performance in Blackpool's Tower Ballroom. They were among the eight couples performing in the world-famous venue after making it through to week nine of the series.

Judge Motsi Mabuse described Tasha's intense and dramatic paso doble routine to Nathan Lanier's Torn, during which professional Aljaz flung her through his legs, as the "dance of the night", which was rewarded 39 out of a possible 40 points.

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It was later confirmed that the pair had made it through to week ten of Strictly's 20th-anniversary series, which takes place this Saturday (November 23) and will see Tasha and Aljaz perform an American Smooth to Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi.

Tasha has since taken to social media to reflect on her latest weekend in the competition. Alongside a string of snaps, which featured her boyfriend Andrew Le Page supporting her in Blackpool, a selfie with Wynne Evans and pictures with Pete Wicks and Jamie Borthwick, the reality star wrote: "Blackpool week you were special.

"Ps going to miss you @wynneevans thank you for always welcoming me with big hugs and will cherish the lovely chats we had." Former TOWIE star Pete was quick to respond to the post, simply writing: "Bestie," in the comments section alongside a black love heart.

Tasha also shared the picture of her and Pete to her Instagram Story and said: "@p_wicks01 Did we just become best friends? [black heart and crying laughing emoji]. One thing I will say is you do make great friendship on this show and especially with this one!"

It comes after it was pointed out that last weekend;s scores was the third time the dancing couple have nearly got top marks and Tasha has now admitted on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two on Wednesday (November 20) that she keeps trying to "push" for the score, as Aljaz joked that at bedtime "all I can see is a 39 in front of my face".

Host Janette Manrara - who Aljaz is married to - raised the fact that many Strictly fans believe the pair have deserved 40 out of 40 for some dances. She asked if that added to the pressure to which Tasha admitted: "I think a little bit it does, you know, because even I want the 40 as well. You know, I am trying to push for that perfect score and every week I am trying to push myself more, trying to deliver more as well… it’s just there at our fingertips, it’s just reaching it and trying to grab it!"

"And it’s a little bit of pressure now we are close to the quarter-finals, so it is just getting there," she went on. Aljaz then joked: "I haven't slept for five weeks because of it. That’s all I can think of at night and the middle of the night sweating and all I can see is a 39 in front of my face," before adding with a laugh: "Nightmares!"