Ed Balls plays down a return to politics after Strictly

Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls has said said he thinks his "time" in politics is over.

The Strictly Come Dancing star, who lost his seat in the 2015 general election, joked that performing on the show "wouldn't be the smartest move" had he hoped to return as an MP.

Mr Balls danced the Paso Doble to Holding Out For a Hero on Saturday, dressed as a matador.

Despite being the lowest-scoring celebrity, he was saved by the public.

BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, and her professional dance partner Pasha Kovalev, became the third couple to leave the competition.

'Utterly appalling'

Ed Balls told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme that after 20 years of politics he was happy to move on from Westminster.

The former Labour MP - who served as education secretary from 2007 to 2010, and shadow chancellor from 2011 to 2015 - has become a favourite among many viewers on this year's Strictly Come Dancing.

Ed Balls served as shadow chancellor from 2011 to 2015

His most notable performance was a samba inspired by the film The Mask - for which he wore a yellow suit and had his face painted green to mimic Jim Carrey's famous portrayal.

But Mr Balls described his latest dance - the paso doble - as "utterly appalling", saying: "I got a step wrong and I lost it."

He said, mid-performance, he had asked his professional dance partner Katya Jones "what do we do?" following the mistake, who told him to continue.

Ed Balls performed a samba as The Mask in week three of the show

Mr Balls told Victoria Derbyshire he had "surpassed [his] expectations" by simply getting through the first week, but said he hoped to remain in the competition because his wife, Labour MP Yvette Cooper, had told him he had "got another stone (in weight) to lose".

Asked about a return to politics, he said: "If I was trying to go back to politics wearing a yellow suit and a green face wouldn't necessarily be the smartest move

"I did that for 20 years, I'm doing new things now. It's so wild in politics at the moment that who knows? But realistically I've had my time."

On Saturday, he will be dancing the foxtrot, which he said - despite his fears over Brexit, the current Conservative government and the future of the Labour Party - was his most pressing worry.

Last week, former Labour leader Ed Miliband called Mr Balls a "national treasure" following his performances, while former Conservative cabinet ministers George Osborne and Michael Gove have also pledged their support.

The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.