Stacey Dooley is the hot favourite to lift the glitterball trophy in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing final.

The documentary film-maker will compete against Brighton’s YouTube star Joe Sugg, Faye Tozer and Ashley Roberts in the final tonight.

Stacey, who partners professional dancer Kevin Clifton, said Strictly has given her such a love for dancing she watches videos of head judge Shirley Ballas on her phone during tea breaks.

Their journey to the competition’s finals has been described as “wonderful”.

The pair have performed routines as the Minions, Doctor Who and they dazzled the judges with an impressive Paso Doble on week ten which earned them 39 points.

The 31-year-old, who lives in Brighton, said: “I feel good, I feel calm.

"I just want to go into this final with no real expectations in terms of what is going to happen, I want it to feel like a massive party.

“The lovely thing for me personally is you’re able to have conversations with the general public about lighter, celebratory things.

“Sometimes work is so intense and can be so harrowing, it’s very serious and it has to be, the subjects are very dark a lot of time.

The Argus:

“So for me it’s just been people stopping me in Sainsbury’s saying ‘I loved your samba, when you had feathers coming out of every part of your body’. Or when they say ‘I danced to that song at my wedding’ and they are so interested and I have loved it.

“I really didn’t realise I would love it this much. I love dancing, I love ballroom dancing.”

Read more: Stacey Dooley feeling the pressure as Strictly favourite

The finalists will each perform three times during the glittering finale; a judges’ pick dance, their own favourite routine from the series and a new show dance.

Joe, 27, who is partnering Australian Dianne Buswell, said taking part in the show has been a life-changing experience for him.

The pair’s highest score was 38 in week 11 when they wowed the judges with a splendid Quick Step dance routine.

Joe, brother of fashion video blogger Zoe Sugg, said joining the competition has boosted his confidence.

He added: “I just thought I would give it a chance and see what happens and it’s a whole new audience and it’s gone down an absolute storm.

"Nowadays I think I get stopped more out and about by the older generation, people who have known me from Strictly rather than from YouTube and stuff, it’s been so nice.

“Even when I was at school, we didn’t do dance, if you were a boy you just didn’t do dance.

“But I have had so many messages from younger guys saying ‘I would never normally think about doing dance but from watching you on Strictly I can see you’re having so much fun and you’ve actually made it cool’.”