Strictly Come Dancing contestant Jo Wood has shrugged off reports of her struggling to cope with rehearsals for the show.

The 53-year-old former wife of Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood was photographed outside the rehearsal studio in tears in last Sunday's tabloids - but has said that she now plans to give the younger dancers a "run for their money" after a pep talk from her daughter Leah.

"My daughter has said I should make the top three - so no pressure there!" she said.

Jo admitted that she had been reduced to tears outside the studio because she felt she had been dancing like a "fairy elephant".

"It's really hard work and Brendan is putting me through my paces," she said.

"If I had known there was a camera outside I would have stayed inside. I'd done 27 hours of rehearsals and I just got emotional.

"I was just thinking I want to move like a fairy - not a fairy elephant. I am so exhausted but I'm going to give the younger dancers a run for their money.

"I was confident at the beginning then it all got deflated and now I am trying to come back round."

The show begins on BBC One on Friday September 18.

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