Bradley Walsh has addressed speculation linking him to a major presenting shake-up on Strictly Come Dancing, revealing he would be keen on the role because of his love for live television.
The host, best known for fronting The Chase, was discussing his television-watching habits on Heart Breakfast when the topic of the BBC dancing show came up. Presenter Jamie Theakston suggested Walsh would have been an excellent host of the programme, and Amanda Holden agreed, implying Strictly could be facing another restructure and asking whether he would consider making the move.
Walsh on the appeal of live TV
Addressing the proposal, Walsh acknowledged he would be interested in the prospect, noting one specific element of the role attracted him.
"Well, not necessarily. They always say, 'Brad, would you do it?' And I would like to do the job because I love working in live television, and I haven't done it for so long," he said.
He explained that the unpredictable nature of broadcasting live was a significant draw, adding: "Yeah, but I love live telly because it's dangerous."
Strictly's presenting changes
His remarks come after Strictly underwent a substantial presenting shake-up following the departures of established hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman last year. Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and professional dancer Johannes Radebe have since joined the show, taking on presenting responsibilities as part of a restructured line-up that has divided opinion among audiences.
Former Strictly professional Oti Mabuse and her husband Marius Iepure have also expressed their views on the changes, questioning the amount of airtime dedicated to interviews with participants. Speaking on Oti's podcast, The Fifth Judge, Marius suggested there was "too much talking" between the presenters and couples.
Oti concurred, arguing that Johannes could manage the entire interview segment alone rather than dividing the questions among the presenters. She said: "So I don't understand why that whole section is just not Jojo, because he's doing a great job. He can ask all four questions by himself. That's his job."
Walsh's viewing habits
Walsh also disclosed how much television he watches during the week, despite initially giving the impression he was not a particularly avid viewer. He clarified that his Saturday evenings comprise watching Strictly, I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and Match of the Day, frequently switching between the broadcasts.
He admitted to being a fan of football and golf before revealing that his Sundays are predominantly occupied by Match of the Day 2 and four successive hours of the classic detective series Columbo. Amanda appeared entertained by the disclosure, telling Bradley that her husband, Chris, was equally keen on the programme.
