Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has revealed that a big-name star on the BBC One show has told him they may be ready to leave for good, saying 'It's getting a bit much.'
The former professional dancer, now an established judge, said one famous face on the series has already spoken to him about potentially leaving at the end of the 2026 series. His comments, made as he promoted his new memoir Steps In Time, are likely to start a guessing game among fans.
Anton's revelation at Bath Forum
Speaking on stage in Bath, Anton, 60, said: "I spoke to somebody the other day and they were like 'It's getting a bit much'.
"It's somebody who's been on it not that long, a little while, and I understood that. I thought about it for a while and I wondered if they will be on it or whether they will decide to step away or carry on."
The comments could refer to a number of the new pro dancers or the new show hosts, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, who only joined this year.
Speculation over who might leave
There have also been reports that judge Shirley Ballas may consider walking away from the UK version of the show if she landed a full-time role on US series Dancing With The Stars. She was recently a guest judge on the series but insisted in an interview last month she was "100 percent not leaving Strictly".
Anton is not seemingly referring to fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood, as the pair still love being on the show and are veterans having been on the series since it began in 2004.
Anton's love for Strictly
On his love for Strictly, Anton said: "I was there from Day One. Craig and I, we are the only ones left. I am so proud of that. It is one of my greatest things.
"I am so proud to have been on the show since the beginning and still loving it as well. I love it as much now as I always have. It is the most brilliant show. I love being a judge. I loved being a professional.
Referring to the late great former host Bruce Forsyth, he added: "I loved working with Brucie. He was my hero growing up. Brucie would come out and do his own warm up and I used to stand in the wings and watch him before the show began. I watched him every week for about 15 years. He was a genius."
Anton's memoir and career
Anton was speaking at the Bath Forum to promote his book Steps In Time, his first memoir. The book, which is released tomorrow, is described by publishers as a "coming-of-age story" which reflects on Anton's youth, and his rise as a pro dancer before then joining Strictly and becoming a TV star.
He left school as a teenager with no qualifications and took on a variety of jobs to pay for dance classes. After competing as a pro he then hit the big time when he landed a spot on Strictly. Once there he danced with celebrities including Kate Garraway, Ruth Langsford, Jerry Hall, Judy Murray and the late Ann Widdecombe.
Steps In Time by Anton Du Beke is out on November 5 from Blink Publishing.
