Comedian Alan Carr has firmly dismissed speculation linking him to a presenting role on Strictly Come Dancing, stating candidly that he does not “love it enough” to take on the coveted hosting job.
The 49-year-old Chatty Man star had been the subject of widespread rumours, with reports suggesting he was in discussions with producers for the upcoming series of the hit BBC dancing competition.
This followed the departure of long-running presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman last December.
The intense buzz surrounding a potential hosting gig for Carr emerged amidst his significant surge in popularity last autumn, largely due to his starring role in the BBC’s smash-hit first series of The Celebrity Traitors.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Carr said: “I didn’t turn it down, I was just clumped with everyone and had to say: ‘No, don’t put me in the mix.’
“I love watching Strictly, but I don’t love it enough. People are always moaning there aren’t new, fresh faces on TV. Well, wouldn’t it be amazing to give it to a young person who absolutely adores Strictly and dancing?
“If I rock up on it, they’ll go: ‘Oh, here he is again.’ Why waste it on me?
“I don’t really know the dances. I’d be like: ‘Oh here they go again, that dance with the legs.’”
The comic also discussed his “renaissance” in popularity since appearing on The Traitors’ celebrity spin-off, which saw millions of viewers tune into the nail-biting finale to watch as he snatched victory from historian David Olusoga and actor Nick Mohammed.
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Carr said: “I know. People are kind of interested in me. They’ll say: ‘Oh, Alan Carr’s quite funny?’ I tell them: ‘I’ve been around for 25 years! How dare you.’
“But yes, there seems to be a renaissance in me, which is really nice.”
After being asked how he feels about approaching “national treasure” status, he told the newspaper: “Oh, I don’t want to be. I want to be a regional trinket.
“Everyone’s a national treasure now, I’m sick of it. We should have only five, and it’s one in, one out.”
Carr was also asked to name the five stars he believes are national treasures and mentioned beloved environmentalist Sir David Attenborough – who was bombarded with birthday wishes from Hollywood stars and the royals as he celebrated his centenary on Friday.
He also named celebrity chef Dame Mary Berry, Chariots Of Fire star Nigel Havers, and TV presenters Richard Madeley and Alison Hammond in his list of his top five Britons.
