STRICTLY Come Dancing kicked off this weekend with a debut performance by Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley.

The Walkden actress put her best foot forward on the floor for the first live show on Saturday night.

Catherine is paired up with South African champion dancer Johannes Radebe — also performing for the first time as part of a couple on the show.

After weeks of intensive training, Catherine stepped out to do 'one of the hardest dances in ballroom', the Viennese Waltz. Despite her best efforts, all the spinning involved in the dancing made her dizzy and even ill on occasion.

The soap star fought through on the night, dancing to Cher's I Got You Babe.

Stern judge Craig Revel Horwood said Catherine had "great potential", while new judge Motsi Mabusi called the pair an "elegant couple". Shirley Ballas had the highest praise, saying: "You are going to be a force to be reckoned with."

The pair earned fives across the board.