Strictly Come Dancing: What you realise when you reach the final

After 12 weeks of jives, rumbas and sambas, the end is in sight for Strictly's finalists.

Debbie McGee, Gemma Atkinson, Joe McFadden and Alexandra Burke perform for the last time on Saturday night.

Debbie says she'll miss being "flung around", while actor Joe McFadden says he doesn't remember a time when he wasn't doing the show.

The four couples will each do three dances in the final, including their freestyle show dance.

Newsbeat chatted with the final four and it's clear there are a few things from their time on the show - apart from the dancing - that unites them all.

You can eat what you want

Gemma Atkinson and her partner Aljaž Škorjanec

Hours and hours of training means the dancers can have almost anything they want to eat.

"I've gone to town on the food," says Gemma. "I'm eating more than me and my dance partner Aljaz combined. It's pizzas, chocolate, whatever is around... and I'm making the most of it.

"The only problem is after Strictly, it's that Christmas vibe when you eat even more food. I'll kick start in the new year."

Joe McFadden says he's eaten nearly 3,000 calories a day but that increase, counter-balanced by the amount of training, means he hasn't actually gained any weight.

But it means some foods have been ruined. He admits he's sick of "chocolate croissants and brioche".

Your immune system is down

Debbie McGee and her partner Giovanni Pernice

"I've been really ill this week," says Debbie. "Giovanni has been throwing me into a lift and I've been wanting to throw up every other second.

"We've had hardly any training time for the final."

She and Alexandra have both caught bugs which have been going round the Strictly office.

Alexandra says she's been suffering with a cold ahead of the final but "it's nothing an energy drink can't beat".

"We'll get through it on adrenaline."

No-one has bought any Christmas presents yet

Joe McFadden and his partner Katya Jones

"What's Christmas?" says Debbie. "There's been no time."

"Funny you should mention that," says Alexandra. "I called my manager this morning to check that I'll be able to go Christmas shopping next week."

Joe says he's not done a "single stitch" of shopping and will be "dashing around" next week.

A suggestion? Just sign loads of copies of the Strictly Come Dancing annual and wrap that up for Christmas Day.

They won't know what to do on Sunday

Alexandra Burke and her partner Gorka Marquez

Strictly has been part of the finalists' lives - day in, day out - for more than 12 weeks and Joe says there will be "a big massive void in my life".

"We'll probably collapse in a heap when it's all over. We're going to have to remember what our lives are actually like," he says.

And after a series full of tabloid headlines about her, Alexandra says she just wants to enjoy the final week.

"I want to relax because once this series is gone - it's gone."

She admits it's been "a hard couple of weeks " but says she stays positive throughout and has appreciated the support people have shown her on social media.

As for Debbie McGee, there's no rest for her. She's getting on a train on Sunday morning as she starts her stint in panto in York.

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