Strictly Come Dancing bosses needed host to match Claudia Winkleman's 'quick wit'
Strictly bosses reportedly settled on Josh Widdicombe as the new host because they needed someone to match Claudia Winkleman's energy.
Strictly Come Dancing bosses want Josh Widdicombe to match Claudia Winkleman's "quick quit".
The Last Leg star is rumoured to have landed the coveted presenting role on the BBC Latin and ballroom competition alongside Emma Willis, and it's said producers were keen to hire a stand-up comic to settle on the right dynamic after Claudia and Tess Daly's shock departure.
An insider told The Sun newspaper: "They demanded someone who could match [Claudia's] quick wit, which often defused any tension felt by contestants after their dances, and right at the moment where they got their scores.
“So getting a stand-up star who could think on their feet – who are used to responding to hecklers off the cuff – was an obvious choice.
“But they had to be someone very different to the central host, which, in this case, turned out to be Emma Willis."
The source suggested that Josh's more "awkward and funny" persona is a good contrast to Emma's mother "glamorous, smooth, straight-laced" demeanour.
The insider added: “It’s a similar dynamic to that of Claudia and Tess – and execs on the show didn’t care if they had to ditch the same sex presenting format to achieve that.”
The new duo is yet to be officially confirmed but Josh recently joked about "doing old people's TV shows" during a stand-up show late last week.
According to The Sun on Sunday newspaper, Josh joked to the audience in the Hackney Empire: “I have started doing old people’s TV shows and attracting older audiences.
“If I was to sum up the age I have reached — I did the Strictly Christmas special two years ago.
“I had the worst day of my career. We all had to get up and do a group dance. All the big celebs were there — me, Nitro from Gladiators. All the biggies.
“We all started dancing and I realised I was the worst dancer. This wasn’t meant to happen.
“When I signed up I knew I would be fine because I know how Strictly works. There’s always a s*** middle-aged bloke that makes everyone else look good.
“I was like, ‘Oh f***. I am the s*** middle-aged guy. I am Adrian Chiles, je suis Jeremy Vine, that is who I am.
“Did I do well? I got a ten from Anton Du Beke. Is he the toughest judge? Yes he is. Don’t Google that.'"
