Janette Manrara 'sobbed for a week' after Strictly Come Dancing snub
Janette Manrara was overlooked for a presenting role on Strictly Come Dancing.
Janette Manrara "sobbed for a week" after being overlooked for a presenting role on Strictly Come Dancing.
The 42-year-old TV star previously hosted Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, and she was optimistic of taking on the main presenting role, following the exits of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Speaking to Jamie Laing on the Great Company podcast, Janette explained: "I was in the chemistry tests and I did really well in the chemistry tests. At least that's what I was told. So I assumed I did a great job."
The presenting roles ultimately went to Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, and Janette recalled being "devastated" by the decision.
She shared: "I remember coming home and it was a really hard pill to swallow ... I sobbed for a week. I'm not going to even begin to lie. I was devastated."
Janette assumed she was a "front runner" for the role, because of her years-long association with Strictly.
Janette - who competed as a dancer on the show before joining Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two as a presenter - said: "I went from being a professional dancer for eight years on the show.
"Then I became the host of It Takes Two for five years and at the same time hosted the Strictly Live tour for five years. And in the Strictly Live Tour, I play both Tess and Claudia with all the judges and the couples.
"So when you just put it on paper, you assume, okay, I've got a shot because all the pieces were there."
A host of big names auditioned for the Strictly presenting roles, and Janette feels proud that she made it so far in the process.
The dancer explained: "I was putting myself in a room against names like Emma Willis, Rylan Clark, Zoe Ball, like all of them that you've seen that have spoken out about being in the chemistry test. I was one of them.
"So, if I can take anything away from it, it's not that I didn't get the job. What I am taking away from it is that actually I've done a bloody good job in the last seven years with honing my craft of presenting and understanding the TV world and the business of how things fun. Another job will come."
