Strictly Come Dancing's Dr Punam says 'it's strange' as she shares update with fans

Dr Punam Krishan, who stars in the 20th series of the hit BBC show, took to social media to share a health update following her Bollywood-inspired Strictly Come Dancing performance

Strictly Come Dancing's Dr Punam Krishan has revealed she's taking advantage of the physiotherapy services in an effort to maintain peak physical condition.

The GP and Morning Live presenter was spotted engaging with her online fans after a successful weekend performance in the ballroom. Dr Punam and her dance partner Gorka Marquez made history by introducing Bollywood to the BBC One dance contest for the first time.

Only 13 out of the remaining 14 couples took part in Strictly's annual Movie Week, as DIY SOS star Nick Knowles and his dance partner Luba Mushtuk had to withdraw from this weekend's show at the last minute due to an injury Nick sustained just before the live show.

During the programme, Dr Punam and Gorka performed the first couple's choice of the show's 20th-anniversary series to Bole Chudiyan from the Bollywood film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, earning them a joint second place on the leaderboard with a score of 33.

Their performance quickly led to an outpouring of praise on social media, with Strictly viewers commending Punam and Gorka's performance and congratulating them for bringing Bollywood to the popular dance show, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Following her emotional response on the night, Dr Punam has since shared further reflections on her performance. Alongside images of herself and Gorka in their stunning Bollywood attire, she expressed: "'You can't be what you can't see.' This dance was more than just a dance, this was a moment that was layers deep, and I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to bring a piece of my culture and my story to you.

"As I lay on the Strictly dance floor last night, waiting to start my dance, I felt the presence of my late grandfather. I've got goosebumps as I write this but I could feel he was there watching over me, bursting with pride. I could sense how proud my parents were and when I closed my eyes, I was transported to 4 year old me who would always dream of watching an Indian girl, like her, on the telly one day."

She later added: "This Glasgow girl danced her wee Bollywood heart out on that floor. I had the honour of doing this with my wonderful partner @gorka_marquez who embraced it all with such love and respect. Your outpouring of love and support since has meant the world to me. Thank you for voting for us and getting us through to week 4. I hope this dance sparked some joy for you, and piqued an interest in Indian music and dance. Go watch the film - it's amazing."

Dr Punam has resumed her training after securing a spot in the fourth week of Strictly's landmark 20th series, recently sharing an update on her social media. Relating to her experience, she mentioned returning to normalcy with "back to reality" following "the most surreal 72 hours of my life".

She went on to express: "I feel like I say that every week after the Strictly live performances but there is no other way to describe it, and this weekend it just went up several notches because it truly was the most magical, special, most memorable night of my life. But we are back to a new week, a new challenge, a new dance, back to not having a clue what I'm doing but really embracing it and soaking it all up.."

Further detailing her practices, Dr Punam revealed she has been in rehearsals and also sought out a physiotherapistnot for an injury, but for assistance with the soreness following Saturday's performance. Describing the physical demands she explained: "For somebody like me who has never danced before, going from just very normal levels of physical activity to essentially raining seven to eight hours of dancing a day. It does take a toll on the body and you do really need to look after yourself.."

At home, Dr Punam's son Aarish disclosed during their 'daily debrief' how he had earned 'cool mum points' at school following his mother's appearance on Newsround, where she spoke about her unprecedented journey on Strictly.

Dr Punam shared her amusement about the unexpected school fame following her child's show-and-tell: "I just loved it and then at break, everyone was chatting to me about it and catching me up saying, 'Can I get your mum's autograph? ' I was like, 'Yeah! '" She went on to express how surreal the experience was: "It's just so strange. Did I win the cool mummy award today? But it is all very strange. This is not the stuff that we're used to."

Reflecting on the heart-warming reaction from her child Airsh, she recalled: "I'm glad you found it cool," with Aairsh replying, "I did," before the exchange of "I love you" between them.

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One