Dancing On Ice star Saara Aalto says she was bullied for being too flamboyant in her native Finland
Saara says she was tormented for being naturally bubbly as a child (Picture: Matt Frost/ ITV Picture..
Saara Aalto finally got the acceptance she longed for when she came to the UK for the X Factor in 2016.
Now the Finnish singer explains how shes using that new-found confidence to show off her flamboyant side on Dancing On Ice.
The 31-year-old, who was born in Oulunsalo, Finland, says she has been tormented for her bubbly, performance style but broke down a wall to be herself.
Ahead of her debut in a new UK reality show next month, Saara revealed: I think [my biggest challenge] happened on The X Factor because in Finland I was never really accepted the way I wanted to be.
I was always the flamboyant one and the one who wanted to be really bubbly and wanted to perform in a big way, but its not very typical in Finland.
After coming second in The Voice of Finland and representing the country twice in the Eurovision Song Contest, Saara reached the live shows of the X Factor two years ago.
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She says: When I came to The X Factor and I worked with [choreographer] Brian Friedman, he was so over the top and we had this connection.
He started really pushing me and I feel like every single week I had to push myself and do stuff that I loved, but because I was bullied in Finland for being who I was, there was a bit of wall and I thought it was too much.
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It was a relief to get that support on The X Factor, and I think every week I had to be braver than I was but I did it and I grew and grew.
And as she prepares for skating competition Dancing On Ice in January, Saara says she is being very strict on herself in a bid to do better than second place.
Saara is paired with professional skater Hamish Gaman and will be drawing her previous dance experience, having trained since she was four years old.
However, she says she hasnt got the edge on dancers James Jordan and Melody Thornton, saying: Compared to professional dancers, Im obviously not professional but I do love to dance so much.
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MORE: Former Strictly pro James Jordan finally admits he does have the edge on Dancing On Ice rivals
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