Skimpy dance costumes were nowhere to be seen when Strictly Come Dancing favourite Zoe Ball enjoyed an al fresco dance session.

The TV presenter wrapped up warmly in a coat and woolly hat when she and dance partner Ian Waite quick-stepped on to Brighton's Palace Pier.

A BBC film crew was filming their training session in preparation for the next showdown on Saturday, when Zoe and Ian take on fellow dancers again as the competition heats up.

Zoe, 35, who lives in Hove with DJ husband Norman Cook, and their four-year-old son Woody, has wowed audiences with her dancing skills and stunning dresses.

She has been practising hard with Latin American champion Ian to maintain her new-found reputation on the ballroom dancefloor.

She said: "It's going great. We were practising quick-step in the studio and wanted a bit more room because it needs more running around so we decided to come outside.

We're canvassing some voters and having a little dance.

"We've had a couple of great weeks and we're really enjoying ourselves but there's a long way to go. I love everything about this type of dancing. I've never done it before and we have such a laugh."

Zoe also took the opportunity to defend herself against claims of cheating on the show.

She denied allegations in a national newspaper that she had received extra tutoring from top choreographer Steven Hoggett because she was so desperate to win.

She said: "I've never even heard of the guy - it's absolute nonsense.

"I'm loyal and Ian would never forgive me if I had done that. I'm no cheat. I've been practising every day for five or six hours - nine hours on Monday."

All the remaining contestants, including Brighton's Patsy Palmer, gathered in London on Monday to master the salsa for a performance together on Saturday's show.

The five other contestants remaining on the show are cricketer Darren Gough, athlete Colin Jackson, celebrity chef James Martin, Casualty actor Will Thorp and BBC news presenter Bill Turnbull.

Zoe has made heads turn from the start, shrugging off her normal ladette image to make way for glittering dresses, glossy hair-pieces, radiant make-up and high heels.

But she was wrapped up warm in jeans and a winter coat to ward off the autumn chill as she danced on the pier.

Zoe and Ian showed off some of their dance moves and chatted with passers-by before heading off for fish and chips.

The excursion was a break from training in numerous dance studios in Brighton where she has been doing most of her work.

She goes to London every Friday and Saturday for further training, rehearsals and the show itself, which is broadcast live on Saturday evenings.

Last week she went to Ian's mother-in-law's dance studio in Reading for rehearsals.

Bookies Ladbrokes said yesterday the contest was a two-horse race between Zoe and Ian and Colin Jackson and his partner, ballroom champion Erin Boag.

It placed Zoe and Ian as favourites on 4-5 odds with Colin and Erin at 2-1.