Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton has revealed that she is finding it difficult to remember all her dance steps for her upcoming appearance on Strictly Come Dancing.

The British cyclist is due to take to the ballroom this Friday for the first time and while Pendleton has claimed that she is comfortable with the physical aspect, the mental preparation is taking its toll.

"Aside from my feet, which are still in agony, the physical exertion isn't very challenging," the Scotsman quotes Pendleton as saying. "But the mental element, the counting, the timing, the remembering of the steps and every single movement is ­really fatiguing. How can people remember to do that all at the same time?"

Meanwhile, Olympic gymnast Louis Smith has revealed that he feels "shy" speaking to co-star Kimberley Walsh off camera.