STRICTLY’s Maisie Smith has revealed she is faking confidence and doesn’t understand why she has received so much “hate” from trolls.
Maisie, 19, has been up for elimination two weeks running after not securing enough viewer votes to steer clear of the danger zone – despite coming second on the leaderboard last weekend.
On comments that she has been too “cocky” and “arrogant” for viewers to warm to her, she said: “People forget I am a 19-year-old girl. I’d ask people maybe not to judge my character on certain faces I pull when I’m dancing and maybe don’t be too quick to guess who someone is.
“I’m not confident in myself at all and I’m trying to be more confident, let’s not hate.
“When I was asked to do Strictly, as much as I was so excited, part of me thought it wasn’t the best idea for me because I’m too shy. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve put on a confident front to cover up my nerves and maybe that came across in a different light than what I intended.”
Maisie, who is best known for playing Tiffany Butcher in EastEnders, added to The Mirror: “I wish I was that confident person – that’s the most amazing thing for someone so young to have confidence and that’s what I strive for.
“I do find it quite crazy that people would use that against someone.”
Earlier this week talented Maisie candidly opened up on her body blues admitting she is “very insecure” about her legs.
The EastEnders actress took to her Instagram page to share a series of images showing her on the way to training in lime green lycra shorts and a red jersey.
In the caption alongside, Maisie said she’s slowly beating them.
She wrote: “Here lies a collection of photos taken at the exact same time, however, from different angles, under different lighting.
“The past few years I’ve been VERY insecure about my legs. I covered them up as much possible. No matter how many people told me ‘cellulite is natural.. everyone has it.’ I still hated them.
“It’s taken me a while but I’m starting to accept these aspects of myself that I’ve always seen as ‘flaws.”
She added: “I wore gym shorts (out of the house) for the FIRST time a couple of months ago and I was so so proud of myself ?.
“I wish I could I say that I LOVE my body but I’m still working on that ?.”
Maisie was in the danger zone again last week – despite coming second on the leaderboard on judges’ scores for their steamy salsa.
The turnabout in fortunes left many viewers, who have been impressed by her talent, scratching their heads.
One viewer felt she had been harshly treated, tweeting: “The UK hates confident women confirmed.”
Maisie and Gorka were saved by judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, and Anton Du Beke, and will be hoping for better fortune tomorrow night.