Pixie Lott has revealed the female Strictly Come Dancing stars have set up an online support group for each other - and that Alison Hammond is her best friend on the show.

The pop star told The Sun that there was no rivalry on the BBC dancing show yet, but she wasn't sure if things would stay that way.

She said: "Me and the other Strictly celeb girls have set up our own WhatsApp chat group and we send each other selfies of us in training, as well as just having a gossip. It's been really nice.

"I've become good mates with Alison Hammond - she's hilarious, I love her. We've been texting each other. I can't wait to see her when we're back in the studio. I knew Frankie Bridge before, so it's nice to be able to hang out with her, too.

"At the moment all the girls are really supportive of each other. That could change later on."

Meanwhile, according to the Daily Mail, Caroline Flack has been taking her training super seriously, putting in a seven-hour practice session with partner Pasha Kovalev to make sure she has all her moves in place for the first competitive show.

But contestant Steve Backshall is struggling to embrace the requisite fake tan, the Daily Star has reported. He said: "A friend had one done and they went green and had to have it re-applied every three days.

"And apparently if you do any exercise it goes streaky and looks like creosote. I also think I look like a Madame Tussauds doll with all that make-up on."

Fans of the show can choose which Strictly celeb they would like to see grace the cover of the Radio Times in the magazine's first ever viewer-voted cover.

Readers can cast their votes at www.radiotimes.com and voting closes at 10am on September 22.