Kara Tointon's family relief

Kara Tointon is relieved her family get on with her 'Strictly Come Dancing' partner boyfriend Artem Chingvintsev.

The former 'EastEnders' actress - who met the professional dancer on the BBC One show - introduced her family to the Russian hunk over the Christmas period, and admitted she is "very lucky" to have found someone she has such a strong bond with.

She said: "Christmas was lovely and Artem spent it with my family and it was really nice. They all got on really well thank God!

"We are an official item now yes! And we went to LA for New Year and that was lovely ... I feel very lucky that I've met someone that I'm getting on so well with."

The 27-year-old beauty - who beat TV presenter Matt Baker to be crowned winner of 'Strictly' - also confessed she didn't feel any pain in her arm when she performed backflips as part of the show's final, as her painkillers were so strong.

Speaking to ITV1's 'This Morning', she said: "When I did those back flips my arm just went and at the time I had pain relief that was quite strong. I didn't feel a thing so I got to go to the party that night, but in the morning I felt the pain and went to hospital."