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Dan Walker says 'Strictly' will give him some fun after 'grim' headlines

Dan Walker is taking to the dancefloor this year. (BBC)
Dan Walker is taking to the dancefloor this year. (BBC)

Dan Walker has said he signed up for Strictly Come Dancing because it would be good to do something fun after 18 months of “grim” headlines.

The BBC Breakfast star, 44, is taking to the dancefloor for the new series of the ballroom show and said it would make a nice change after everything that has happened in recent months.

“I cover a lot of news and the last 18 months has been grim story after grim story after grim story so I thought, it’s an opportunity to do something that’s fun, that’s very different, that doesn’t involve reading headlines about awful stuff,” he said.

“And just to have a bit of a giggle and learn a new skill.”

The father-of-three also said it would be nice to do something that his children are “fully invested in”.

He said: “I’ve got two daughters who are 14 and 12 who are very much into dancing and Strictly and that sort of stuff.

Read more: Robert Webb says having open heart surgery made him sign up for Strictly

"I’ve done a lot of telly that I wanted to do for a long time and anyone who has kids of that age will know it’s rare to do something that your kids are fully invested in. So they are all excited.

“They’ve only ever asked me to do two programmes – Saturday Mash Up and this. And I did Saturday Mash Up in the summer and yes, here we are.”

File photo dated 18/5/2019 of Dan Walker who has announced he is stepping down as host of the BBC's Football Focus after 12 years at the helm. The presenter, who also fronts BBC Breakfast, joined the football magazine show at the start of the 2009-10 season. Issue date: Thursday April 8, 2021.
The presenter is nervous about doing the show. (PA)

Walker admitted he was a bit nervous about all the sequins, Spandex and spangles that come with being a contestant on the BBC dance contest.

"I’ve had a lot of discussion about the outfits," he said.

"In my general headspace at the minute I am sort of 40% excited, 60% terrified and that would exist around the outfits as well.

WARNING: Embargoed for publication until 00:00:01 on 17/09/2021 - Programme Name: Strictly Come Dancing 2021 - TX: n/a - Episode: Strictly Come Dancing - Generics (No. n/a) - Picture Shows: *NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 00:01HRS, FRIDAY 17th SEPTEMBER, 2021* Dan Walker - (C) BBC - Photographer: Ray Burmiston
Strictly Come Dancing 2021 - Dan Walker - (BBC/Ray Burmiston)

“So far there has been a few funky tuxedos, some rather tighter shirts than I would normally wear. I’ll be concerned once we get towards the see-through numbers. I’m trying to avoid that. Leave that to the boys with the muscles!

“But that’s part of Strictly. You understand that you will wear stuff that you don’t normally wear. And I think my kids are particularly looking forward to that!”

The TV star will be up against the likes of Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty, actor Greg Wise, comedian Robert Webb and EastEnders stars Nina Wadia and Rose Ayling-Ellis on the dancefloor.

Read more: Strictly dancer isolating ahead of live shows after testing positive for COVID

Strictly 2021 is due to begin on Saturday 18 September.

Watch: Who is Strictly's Dan Walker?