Strictly winner Kara Tointon confirms Glitterball trophy is ‘fake’ and ‘falling apart’

Strictly Come Dancing winner Kara Tointon has revealed the shocking truth behind her Glitterball trophy.

The former contestant appeared on the show back in 2010 and lifted the famed prize with partner Artem Chigvintsev, but all was not as it appeared.

Kara spoke on the Celebrity Catch Up: Life After That Thing I Did podcast and claimed that she has debated complaining to the BBC .

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The 39-year-old said: "It's now bald. It's a blooming bald, grey cardboard ball. I feel like saying to the BBC: 'I need some maintenance on this please! If you can get round here and shimmy it on together again."

Tointon also claimed that she thinks the trophy "should come with a lifetime guarantee".

The EastEnders star went on to discuss her experience on the show and described Strictly as a "dancing army camp," along with one of the "most nerve-wracking things" she had ever taken part in.

Kara explained: "I still cannot believe that I won the show. It's my victory in life and I take it with both hands. You're doing something that is completely out of your comfort zone in every sense, but a really one-off life experience that I look back at so fondly."

Despite her memorable performances and victorious win, Tointon branded her final show as a "car crash".

She suffered with an injury just before she was due to take to the floor and was forced to compete in the final with a torn arm ligament.

However, Kara bravely stuck it out and tried to ignore the pain from the injury as she performed a Waltz and an American Smooth.

The actress went on to win the 2010 series, but admitted she gets "upset" when she thinks about it.

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She told Mirror Online: "I always get a little bit upset about my final […] On the day of the final, I was in quite a lot of pain. So, my final dance was a bit of a car crash. It was just awful because I couldn't really move."

Kara lifted the Glitterball trophy with her dance partner Artem and the pair began dating after they met on the BBC competition.

They dated but eventually went their separate ways in 2014.

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