Tiptoeing her way to television stardom

9:28am Tuesday 2nd May 2006

A DANCER is hoping to shimmy her way to a £50,000 jackpot in a television dance-off.

Stephannie Croxson is starring in the second series of the BBC television talent contest Strictly Dance Fever.

The 21-year-old hopeful, of Whinchat Road, Thamesmead, managed to beat 50,000 contenders in auditions to gain a coveted place as one of 10 dancing couples.

The public will vote a couple off each week.

She has been paired up with 19-year-old Ben Harrold and the duo have high hopes of scooping the prize money when the show finishes in June.

Miss Croxson is taking a break from her course in performing arts at the Reynolds Stage School, Bexley, while she lives it up in a secret hideaway mansion while filming the show.

Her 57-year-old mother Kate, a grandmother of 15, said: "I used to call her Steptoe when she was little. When she started walking she always walked on her tiptoes.

"I'm so proud of her and we're all keeping our fingers crossed."