Strictly's Dani Harmer: 'X Factor is too staged'

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Dani Harmer has taken aim at rival TV show The X Factor, insisting the singing contest is "more staged" than the BBC series.

The petite actress has been thrilling audiences with her moves, and she's convinced audiences are opting for Strictly over Simon Cowell's show on Saturday nights.

She tells Digital Spy, "I think X Factor's kind of gone in a different direction. It feels a bit more staged, whereas we're true to what we are on Strictly.

"We know that it's camp and it's shiny and glittery, and I think people like to watch that on a Saturday night because of all the c**p that's going on in the world now, recession and all that rubbish.

"It's nice to watch something that takes you to a different world almost. And there's no kind of sob stories or anything like that, it is what it is. We're just going out there and trying to dance and making idiots out of ourselves sometimes."

Speaking about her rivals on Strictly, she tipped Denise Van Outen to win and added: "Denise is amazing, she's top of the leader board every week, she's obviously the one to beat, I'd be stupid if I didn't say that.

"She's so talented she deserves to be at the top anyway, so I guess we've all got to try and get Denise off that top."