Maisie Smith says Strictly is giving her the ‘confidence’ to wear skimpy outfits after gruelling training regime

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EASTENDERS star Maisie Smith has revealed that Strictly Come Dancing has made her feel more confident than ever after years of battling body insecurities.

The 19-year-old, who plays Tiffany Butcher on screen, thanked the gruelling training regime for helping her get her body in top shape.

While she also gave a nod to her fellow co-stars turned friends, including Radio 1 presenter Clara Ampho, for making her feel positive about skimpy clothes.

Maisie thanked Strictly for giving her body confidence

Embracing her sex appeal, Maisie told the Daily Star Sunday: “Being on Strictly has really boosted my confidence. I’ve worked really hard the past seven weeks and I’ve got fitter.

“Also, I’ve been around really lovely people. I’ve spoken about my lack of confidence with a few of the other contestants. I spoke to Clara about it and she really helped me with it all.

“This time a year ago, I wouldn’t have felt comfortable wearing the [Strictly] costumes. They’re all absolutely crazy…”

Now the TV star enjoys showing off her figure in tight-fitting, revealing outfits – and often takes to Instagram for a gym snap to flaunt her abs.

The star flaunts her abs in the gym on Instagram

Maisie says she wouldn’t have been confident enough to wear the Strictly outfits last year

She now poses on Instagram in figure-hugging clothes

In one post, Maisie shared how she has been especially insecure about her legs for many years, but now feels she can ‘accept’ the parts of herself she previously disliked.

“The past few years I’ve been VERY insecure about my legs,” she wrote under a snap of herself in tight, green training shorts. “I covered them up as much as 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’.

“I wore gym shorts (out of the house) for the FIRST time a couple of months ago… I was so proud of myself. I wish I could say that I LOVE my body but I’m still working on that.”

Maisie celebrated wearing gym shorts out of the house

The star, who is competing alongside pro dancer Gorka Marquez, went on to encourage her followers to accept their insecurities and feel more confident, calling her 882k Instagram fans: “You are frigging beautiful.”

Body language expert Judi James agreed Maisie was displaying more outward confidence when, last week, she revealed the actress ‘showed increased levels of confidence in her appearance’.

Judi explained: “Working with professional dancers would have allowed her to see her very muscular curves as a thing to be admired and featured rather than hidden.”

Behind the scenes, Maisie has struggled with confidence in other areas – fighting crippling nerves on the dance floor after competing in two dance-offs.

The Eastenders star can’t shy away from skimpy outfits on the dance floor

She admitted to feeling more confident than ever thanks to the show

“I don’t think anyone is safe in this competition, everyone is amazing,” she said. “Every week the competition is getting better and better, so you could be the top of the leaderboard or the bottom.

“When I closed the show last weekend it was terrifying. There was a lot of pressure. I was more nervous than I had been the past six weeks.”

Maisie hopes the public vote will help her make it into the Strictly Come Dancing final, which airs on BBC1 on December 20.