Comedian Alan Carr has finally broken his silence on the swirling rumours that he could be the next host of BBC One's flagship entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing. The speculation comes hot on the heels of his triumphant win on The Celebrity Traitors, which has apparently led to a flood of new job offers.
Strictly Come Dancing Hosting Speculation
While Carr is currently promoting the third series of his hit ITV sitcom Changing Ends, the 49-year-old entertainer admits he's feeling cautious about the possibility of stepping into Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly's sparkly shoes. "My name is in the hat," he confirmed. "What an honour. It's a bit like when my name got bandied about for Britain's Got Talent and The Great British Bake Off – I'm always on the periphery."
The comedian revealed that despite the widespread speculation, no formal approach has been made by the BBC. He expressed genuine concern about handling the pressure of live television, referencing his anxious appearance in the Traitors castle. "People are so passionate about it and you saw me sweating in the castle when I was a Traitor, imagine me doing live telly with how many million people watching!"
From Traitors to Television Offers
Carr's experience on The Celebrity Traitors has apparently equipped him with some unexpected skills that could prove useful on the Strictly dancefloor. "If someone's cha-cha-cha is a bit s**t, I've got the poker face!" he joked, referencing his ability to convincingly lie during the game show.
However, the comedian remains humble about his capabilities, expressing concern about doing justice to the beloved programme. "So many things have come from The Celebrity Traitors – so many job offers coming in – I'd be flattered but I don't know if I could do it [Strictly] justice. I just don't want to ruin it for people."
Returning to Changing Ends
While speculation about his future continues, Carr is firmly focused on the present with the return of his semi-autobiographical sitcom Changing Ends. The third series, which airs Sundays at 10:05pm on ITV1 and ITVX, continues to explore his childhood in 1980s Northampton.
This season follows teenage Alan, played by Bafta nominee Oliver Savell, as he navigates stressful swimming lessons and, more significantly, experiences his first major crush. The young Alan becomes smitten with Jake, the Saturday boy at a local charity shop.
"I really got into charity shopping," Carr recalled with a smile. "I used to go in there every Saturday and flick through the posters to catch his eye. I must have stunk like an old woman because I would get flares, I wore my dad's sheepskin and we didn't have dry cleaning like we do these days."
The comedian, who is now single after divorcing ex-husband Paul Drayton in 2022, revealed that the real-life inspiration behind Jake is still out there. "The boy knew then because I was just as unsubtle as I am now," he laughed. "When I went back to Northampton, I saw him queuing up at a cash point. My knees went to jelly and I thought, 'Oh my God, there he is.' But I didn't want to say hi."
He added with characteristic humour: "There's still something there, but I don't want a Surprise Surprise moment. He had his chance and he missed it! He could be dating a national treasure now."
Family Dynamics and Fame
The new series also explores how Alan's mother Christine adapted to life as a local WAG, given that his father Graham was a professional footballer in the 1960s who later managed Northampton Town among other clubs.
"We would drop my brother [Gary] off at Beavers and me and mum would sit in the Tesco café for an hour with a cup of tea and a Chelsea bun," Carr remembered. "I remember this woman coming over in the canteen to ask for an autograph – I mean, it was funny."
He noted how his mother's recognition has evolved over time: "It sounds weird but in Northampton, my dad was famous – people would stop him. My mum didn't get the same standard as my dad, but it was funny. She was stopped a few times and people whispered, 'That's Graham Carr's wife.' Now she gets, 'That's Alan Carr's mum – that's the Traitor's mum!'"
Christine isn't always entirely pleased with how Alan portrays his childhood in the series, where his parents are played by Nancy Sullivan and Shaun Dooley. "My mum goes, 'Oh Alan, it wasn't that obvious you were gay when you were a child.' My mum, bless her – she's still that she-wolf who goes up the school. 'Don't you pick on my Alan, he does fancy girls!' I don't think she realises how camp I am, she just loves me."
Both of Carr's parents have visited the show's meticulously recreated set in Enfield, north London, which perfectly replicates their former family home. "My poor dad walked up the stairs and nearly fell to his death because he thought the bedroom was upstairs," Carr revealed. "How weird is that? It's identical to the house. To have it decompartmentalised in a warehouse is so strange."
Future Projects and Fan Response
Regarding whether Changing Ends will return for more episodes, Carr said the decision rests with audience response. "I like the stage it's at – that weird puberty stage," he explained. "If people are watching and they want it to come back, I'll think about writing some more."
However, he expressed some reservations about continuing the story into his later teenage years. "But when it gets to the call centre years at 18 and when I started packing shampoo and dog food, I think I'm going to run out of stories because that was a really bleak time. It could be like The Office and be called The Warehouse!"
Following his successful deception on The Celebrity Traitors, where he managed to reach the final without being detected as a Traitor, Carr has one lingering concern about how viewers will receive his autobiographical work. "I want it to be really authentic, but I worry now after doing The Celebrity Traitors people aren't going to believe a word of Changing Ends!" he laughed.
