Why Simon Barnett nearly quit Dancing With The Stars

Dancing with the Stars Episode 3 June 7 Simon Barnett and Vanessa Cole

Simon Barnett has revealed he nearly left Dancing With The Stars after his first dance on the TV3 reality show.

Barnett and his dance partner Vanessa Cole have become the show's star performers, regularly featuring in the top two on the scoreboard.

The More FM host has also won praise for showing off his fit "dad-bod" - and Barnett tells this week's edition of Woman's Weekly he entered the competition to
overcome his self-conciousness.

However, the challenges of the first week saw Barnett nearly "fake a sickie" and leave.

"After the first week, I wanted out. I was terrible," Barnett tells WW.

"I've always known I can't dance and that just proved it. All I could think was, 'I look like a goon, get me out of here'."

Thanks to the help of Cole, he improved enough to be in the top four. Barnett and Cole are up against Chrystal Chenery and Jonny Williams, Siobhan Marshall and Charlie Billington, and Jay-Jay Harvey and Enrique Johns for a spot in Sunday's grand final. One of those four will be sent home in tonight's elimination round.

Whatever happens, Barnett has proved himself wrong.

"I'm not a great dancer by any means, but I can move a bit now, and I would never have thought that was possible before Dancing With The Stars."

- nzherald.co.nz