Dan Walker, the host of BBC Breakfast, has admitted he has been asked to appear on Strictly Come Dancing. The 42-year-old journalist revealed his children also wonder whether he will join the BBC series, as many of his colleagues have done. However, he has insisted he prefers to watch the show from the comfort of his own home and has no intentions of being “famous”. Speaking in a joint interview with his co-star, Louise Minchin, he said: “My kids are at that stage, ‘Dad, will you do it?’.
“I’ve been offered it. I don’t think either of us is in this job to be famous.”
Yet the father-of-three raved about the show in an interview with Mirror Online, describing the series as “brilliant”.
He said: “Strictly is a brilliant thing and everyone I know who’s been part of it has enjoyed it, but I like watching it from a distance, on the sofa.”
Meanwhile, Louise divulged she has been banned from taking part in Strictly, as her two children do not approve.
The 50-year-old news anchor explained how her daughters have put her on a “life-ban”, as her appearance on the show would be too embarrassing for them.
“I am on an absolute life-ban from both my children, Mia 17 and Scarlett 14,” she shared.
“Number one, for my children there would be nothing worse that I could do to them than to put them through that.”
Also, Louise said judge Dame Darcey Bussell is a “good friend” of hers, seemingly suggesting she may have an unfair advantage over the other contestants.
However, Darcey recently stepped down as a judge on the show, revealing she was leaving the series after seven years to focus on other work commitments.
In a lengthy post shared with her 165,000 Instagram followers last week, she said: “It has been a complete privilege for me to be part of Strictly for the past seven years, working with such a talented team.
“I have enjoyed every minute of my time and will miss everyone from my fellow judges, the presenters, the dancers, the musicians, the entire back stage team, and especially the viewers of the show, who have been so supportive.”
She went on to insist her decision to leave was not due to any fallouts with her fellow judges, but so she can “give more focus to my many other commitments in dance”.
The professional ballerina added: “I know I will miss being part of this unique show, and the fact that it celebrates dance is something I am so passionate about.
“I hope that I may be very lucky to be asked back again one day.”
Darcey made her Strictly debut in 2009 as a guest judge in the final stages of the series that year, she then become a permanent member of the panel in 2012.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One later this year and BBC Breakfast airs weekdays on BBC One at 6am.