A Strictly Come Dancing star who appeared on the most recent series confessed that she dropped "two dress sizes" while on the BBC show. The 39-year-old was the 10th celebrity to be eliminated after appearing in the dance-off for the third week in a row. The series was then won by comedian Chris McCausland and his pro partner Dianne Buswell after many weeks of intense competition. The scandal-hit show also saw DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles pull out early after sustaining an injury to his knee.

Speaking exclusively to Express Online, the TV star revealed that she lost an incredible amount of weight within the first four weeks of the BBC dance competition.

Gladiators star Montell Douglas explained, "Eight hours of training, every eight hours of dance every day, burning like 4000 calories a day. Like you could not. I'd have to be in a surplus even to put that on. Yeah, I lost one and a half stone within the first four weeks of the show.

"I dropped two dress sizes very very quickly. I went to events, and I was like, 'Why doesn't this fit me anymore?' because I was no longer a size 12. It was crazy. I hadn't seen my body in that space since my twenties.

"I usually trained for like two or three-hour blocks, but when you're persistently burning calories, and it's every day, and I was in the show for 11 weeks, there are no breaks in those weeks. I still felt really, really strong. My friends from Gladiators said, 'Oh my gosh, you look so lean.'"

Montell has recently teamed up with the health food chain Holland & Barrett to raise awareness of staying strong throughout our lives. New figures from the chain show that joint, bone, and muscle pain affects 65 percent of Brits, 40 percent agree it affects their work, and 26 percent their confidence.

Speaking about her role in the campaign, she said: "I've been so passionate about my whole career about the importance of movement, right through from childhood up to now approaching my 40s and reinventing myself. The company is encouraging people to get the right advice, move better, and recover quickly. You can book a free 15-minute consultation to get expert advice.

"That's what it's all about, whether it's walking your dog, not necessarily going to the gym, it could be a dance class, it could be anything."

Emily Foster, Holland & Barrett Nutritionist, said: “We are seeing more and more people coming through our doors wanting to look after themselves, perhaps inspired by the latest TV shows! Importantly, we want everyone to keep on doing what they love, from dancing, walking the dog, to half marathons, everyone’s movement journey is unique.

"There are so many ways our joints, bones, and muscles can be supported at each stage of life to keep us feeling our best, but it is important that good nutrition and healthy practices happen throughout the lifespan, not just at the time of injury.

To book a free 15 minute consultation with one of their Joints, Bones and Muscle experts visit hollandandbarrett.com.