From strutting her moves at Heaven and Hell nightclub, to performing leaderboard-topping routines on the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor, Blackburn’s AJ Odudu has impressed viewers and judges alike on the BBC show.

However, the pressure of representing Blackburn hasn’t got to AJ Odudu who says it’s “amazing” to put her hometown on the map.

She said: “I definitely want to do my hometown and the whole of Lancashire proud.

“Things like this don’t normally happen to people like us. It’s a working class area and to say you’re going be on the most popular show on the telly is a real dream.”

This week, AJ will be performing a Viennese Waltz with her dance partner, Kai Widdrington; they will be dancing to Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

AJ said she’s found the week hard – but is feeling good about tonight's performance.

She explained: “It’s literally the dance equivalent of being on a fairground ride so I’m, feeling sick, I’m feeling dizzy, I’m feeling like I’ve ran a marathon.”

However, AJ added that she has loved role playing as Medusa adding that she “gets to be in control of Kai” joking that she “loves the power.”

Kai and AJ will attempt to beat last week’s scores when they danced a fiery Argentine Tango and judges awarded them an impressive score of 35 – with head judge Shirley Ballas getting out her 10 paddle.

AJ, who grew up on Devonport Road, added that the passionate dance was watched by her family – including her big brothers who were sitting in the crowd.

She explained: “My brothers were obsessed with the dance - and gave Kai the seal of approval”.

AJ’s mum, who currently lives in the Whalley Range area, was also watching the episode and said she was “so excited” by it.

AJ explained: “She’s the first person I speak to after every dance.  

“I called my mum last weekend and she was just screaming down the phone. She was so excited by it and said I really made her proud.

“As a Strictly superfan herself,  she said it was everything she wanted to see in an Argentine Tango.”

She will be in the Strictly live audience this week to cheer AJ on.

The dance was so passionate that it sparked romance rumours, which were later quashed by Kai in an It Takes Two interview.

Speaking on her relationship with Kai, AJ said she “can’t imagine life” without her dance partner and insists they "get on like a house on fire".

33-year-old Odudu added that she will show him around Blackburn one day.

“I keep telling Kai that we need to take a trip to Blackburn,” she explained. “I need to show him around where Tommy Ball used to be and the Blackburn ice rink where we all used to go skating.

“I talk to him about King George’s Hall and all our local chippies.

“I’ll take him for a curry night down The Postal Order,” she joked.

She added: “Kai definitely feels like an honourary Lancashire lad. If he hangs out with me for just a few more weeks he’s going to sound just as northern as I am.”

When the show comes to an end, AJ is eager to return to Blackburn and celebrate.

She said: “I spend all my Christmasses in Blackburn.

“I can’t wait to get back down to Blackburn Market and Blackburn Mall.

“We will be back doing our weekly shop in Morrisons though, as always.

“I will also be hitting up any pub that’s open,” she joked.

Lancashire Telegraph: Blackburn's AJ Odudu (Ray Burmiston/BBC)Blackburn's AJ Odudu (Ray Burmiston/BBC)

The former St Bede’s High School pupil added that she is taking every week as it comes and hoping to stay in the competition for “as long as possible.”

She said: “Going into the show, I had no expectations whatsoever.

“I had zero dance experience! I used to go to Heaven and Hell and Liquid and Envy in Blackburn – that’s all the dancing I’ve done, just going clubbing with mates.

“But I’ve loved Strictly Come Dancing for years and years and I loved music so I just knew I was going to throw myself into it and give it 110 per cent.

“I’m always shocked every week to see what’s possible if you put a bit of graft into something, even if it’s something you’ve never done before.

“I want to give a massive thank you to everyone who has supported me - keep voting!”

You can watch AJ and Kai perform a Viennese Waltz on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing tonight at 7:10pm