New Strictly Come Dancing It Takes Two host Ellie Taylor has provided an update after her three-year-old son was rushed to hospital during their holiday. The comedian, who will replace Janette Manrara and Fleur East as presenter of the spin-off show, shared the news on Instagram over the weekend.
Son treated at Chichester A&E
Ellie and her husband, Phil Black, were staying at an Airbnb in Sussex when their son, who had a mild cough before the trip, began struggling to breathe. Ellie took him to Chichester A&E late at night, where he was given steroids to help him recover.
She captioned a picture: “I’ve been to A&E five times with this child and it’s always when I’m serving make-up-free & knackered hag.” Adding: “Staff were all brilliant and the steroids even better. We were home by midnight and determined to crack on and enjoy a few days on the beach after all the lovely sun we’ve had.”
Holiday mishaps continue
After her son felt better, the holiday faced further disruption when heavy rain followed weeks of sunny conditions. A dinner attempt also went wrong, with Ellie saying: “Croupy child seemed a little perkier so we thought we’d try out dinner. YAY! But then obviously he fell over on the gravel on the way and cut his leg. Boo.”
Carrying her son the entire way, Ellie noted their dinner “lasted approximately 12 minutes” due to him “wailing throughout the meal”. She also spilled her drink over her phone.
New role on It Takes Two
Ellie’s new presenting role was announced recently, with Janette Manrara confirming her departure in June and Fleur East reportedly leaving around the same time. Ellie said in a statement: “What a total joy to return to Strictly in this new role. I feel incredibly honoured to follow in the footsteps of the phenomenal line-up of hosts who’ve made Strictly – It Takes Two so loved over the years.”
She added: “I can’t wait to immerse myself in all the gossip and sequins flying out of the ballroom in order to bring my fellow Strictly fans everything they need to know. I’m so excited, I could cha cha, but I won’t, don’t worry, no one needs to see that again.”
Ellie previously competed on Strictly in 2022 with professional dancer Johannes Radebe, now one of the main show’s new presenters alongside Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe. The pair were the eighth couple eliminated. Ellie and Phil share two children, a daughter born in 2018 and a son born in November 2023.
Reflecting on the trip, Ellie said: “Holidays with young kids are something else. I maintain you shouldn’t bother going away with your kids until the smallest is 5. One day I’ll take my own advice but until then I’ll be the husk in a Next one piece instigating another emergency game of hide and seek. Loved the fun bits of course, but man it’s good to be home.”
