Patrick Swayze's legs had to be held down in Dirty Dancing

Patrick Swayze's legs had to be held down when he did the famous lake lift scene in classic eighties film Dirty Dancing it has been revealed.

Jennifer Ellison, a judge on reality show The Time of Your Life, which celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the film, let the secret slip during a television interview.

The ex-Brookside actress is joined on the judging panel by Miranda Garrison who starred in the movie as well as choreographing the famous dance scenes.

Ellison, 24, said: "It was so funny because when Miranda was telling us about it she said it was the very end of the day and everyone was exhausted.

"They went into the lake and Patrick Swayze couldn't do it so the choreographer put a wet suit on, went in, held his breathe and grabbed hold of Patrick Swayze's legs.

"When he's doing that lift Kenny Ortega is holding his legs in a wet suit," she said on ITV's Loose Women.