Sam Quek reveals the one 'spine-tingling' thing she loves most about Strictly Come Dancing

Liverpool-born Olympian Sam Quek has turned her hand to many things since putting down her Team GB hockey stick, including TV presenting, becoming the first female captain on Question of Sport and taking part in Celebrity Masterchef. But competing in this year's line-up for Strictly Come Dancing is probably the hardest.

Sam and her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin made it through to Icons Week this weekend after a sizzling jive to The Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show for Halloween Week.

Sam told LiverpoolWorld: "Coming in to Strictly has been so hard, but it's been the most incredible challenge, and I feel like I've properly stuck my teeth into it because I wanted to get out there on a Saturday night and bring the best account of me. I'm naturally competitive so I do want to challenge myself."

But it’s not necessarily the dancing that Sam loves the most. She has been hugely impressed by fellow Scouser Tommy Blaize and the singer’s colleagues in the orchestra. “One of the best things I love is the live band and the live music. It’s just spine-tingling,” she explains.

Sam will carry the theme of spine-tingling music into Icons Week when the self-confessed Swiftie dances to Taylor Swift’s Love Story after being wowed by the pop superstar during her recent concert at Anfield.

"It's icon week this week, and I am a fully-fledged Swiftie, even more so since I went to her concert in Anfield. I've always been a fan of her music. It honestly just blew me away,” the 36-year-old said.

“I think everything that's gone on with the Southport incident and how she reacted to that - I think we do have that connection as a city with her now. I hope on Saturday that I can go out, perform Love Story and just do it justice really."

Upon retiring from hockey, Sam moved into TV by appearing on the 2016 series of ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. She's since presented across many sports and entertainment shows, including becoming the first female captain of A Question of Sport in 2021.

With a cupboard full of sporting medals, Sam is hoping to bring home the Strictly trophy to add to her collection.

• Watch the video to hear our full interview with Strictly Come Dancing star Sam Quek.