Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Harry Aikines-Aryeetey has expressed interest in replacing Claudia Winkleman as a presenter on the BBC dance show. The Olympic sprinter and Gladiators star, who competed on Strictly last year, told the Mirror he would be happy to take on the role.
Winkleman and Tess Daly announced their departure from the show last year, sparking speculation over potential replacements. Names such as Zoe Ball, Bradley Walsh and Angela Scanlon have been linked to the position. Aikines-Aryeetey, 37, said: 'I'm all good for a laugh or two, I don't think I could be taken too seriously. Maybe put me in the Claudiatorium, we'd have to still call it that. I'll be a good cheerleader.'
The athlete, who finished sixth with professional partner Karen Hauer, admitted he underestimated the show's scale. 'I still didn't appreciate the sort of magnitude of what Strictly was,' he said. 'Being on the tour has been quite an eye-opener. You've got fans outside the hotel, you've got people going to multiple shows, and they're adults.'
Aikines-Aryeetey also revealed that training for Strictly was more nerve-racking than his sporting career. 'I felt vulnerable,' he said. 'Knowing you're not a professional dancer, you're not actually very good, to try and learn something over three or four days, then perform it in front of millions of people at home.'
