X-FACTOR may be already underway – but its rival will begin this weekend when Strictly Come Dancing tiptoes onto our screens.

One Huddersfield woman is more excited than most for the start of the new series.

For 28-year-old Alex Croft, of Ferndale, Brackenhall, has made a career from blogging about the popular Saturday night show.

She started her website, www.strictlycomedancing.tv four years ago. Last month alone it had more than half a million hits and now gets up to 50,000 daily hits from unique users.

The media-whiz has also been invited by the show’s producers to go backstage and meet all the cast.

Alex said: “Last year I got 5,000 hits on the website daily but for this year’s launch night last Friday, I received 50,000 unique hits.

“My Twitter account has also gathered 2,000 followers and popularity in the blog has really grown.

“I am constantly writing on it. I update it twice or three times daily and it is proving really popular.

“It is also starting to make money through affiliate marketing where people advertise on the side of the blog.

“I am expanding this year by doing podcasts which will also be available on the site.