Nick Knowles once claimed he would rather have his ‘eyes taken out with a fork’ than appear on the flagship BBC show Strictly Come Dancing.
The presenter said in a 2016 interview that ‘Strictly is all about people trying to make themselves more famous’.
He also claimed the show was a gentler type of reality TV that takes the ‘p***’ out of people, The Sun reported.
Adding: ‘If you put yourself up for it you ask for it.’
The DIY SOS star, 61, reportedly signed up to Strictly after months of talks with bosses, with sources claiming he’s ‘willing to give anything a crack’.
The presenter said in a 2016 interview that ‘Strictly is all about people trying to make themselves more famous’ (Nick Knowles pictured shopping at a DIY store)
The DIY SOS star, 61, reportedly signed up to Strictly after months of talks with bosses
And while the Strictly professional dancers have been busy rehearsing this week, Nick and Katie, 33, seemed to have planned a garden makeover as they emerged with a trolley full of plants.
Katie was dressed for the heatwave in a black crop top, ripped denim shorts and flip flops while Nick opted for a blue shirt and grey shorts.
The couple had splashed the cash on hanging baskets, nepeta and huge dahlias which they bundled into the back of their Range Rover.
It was reported Nick has signed up for the new series of Strictly, as the show continues to battle growing abuse and misconduct claims.
Nick and Katie, 33, seemed to have planned a garden makeover as they emerged with a trolley full of plants
Nick Knowles made the most of his free time ahead of his reported stint on Strictly as he headed to a DIY store with fiancée Katie Dadzie on Wednesday
Strictly has been engulfed by drama since Giovanni Pernice was suspended after his celebrity partner Amanda Abbington accused him of abusive behaviour, saying he was ‘cruel and mean.’ He denies the claims.
BBC chief Tim Davie today vowed a tough approach to clean up Strictly Come Dancing as he apologised for the ‘mistreatment’ of contestants.
The corporation announced earlier this month that it was introducing new measures that aim to ‘strengthen welfare and support’ behind the scenes at the show, and the director general’s latest comments suggested he would consider further crackdowns.
Tim Davie said he was ‘very sorry’ to anyone who ‘has had an experience on Strictly that hasn’t been wholly positive’
Amanda Abbington becomes emotional during an interview with Channel 4 about quitting Strictly Come Dancing last year
Amanda cited ‘personal reasons’ for leaving the BBC show last October but it was later revealed she had demanded footage of her rehearsals after the experience with the show and her dance partner Giovanni Pernice left her with PTSD
Mr Davie said he would keep changes to the way the programme is run ‘under review’ and promised: ‘We will never tolerate unacceptable behaviour of any kind.’
The BBC boss said he was ‘very sorry’ to anyone who ‘has had an experience on Strictly that hasn’t been wholly positive’ and vowed to ‘reflect on’ the complaints that have been made.
Amanda Abbington compared being on Strictly Come Dancing to fighting ‘in the trenches’.
In an interview with Channel 4 News, the Sherlock star fought back tears as she claimed that former dance partners of Giovanni texted her ‘I am so sorry’ when their pairing was revealed ahead of the 2023 competition.
It came as the actress, 50, alleged that the professional dancer, who was suspended from the show after Amanda quit six weeks into the series, was trying to block the release of hours of ‘toxic’ rehearsal footage.
She told presenter, and fellow Strictly contestant, Krishnan Guru-Murthy that producers on the BBC One programme had been left ‘shocked and horrified’ by the clips, some of which allegedly showed humiliating bullying ‘of a sexual nature’.
A spokesperson for Giovanni, who has always denied any allegations of threatening or abusive behaviour, slammed the interview for containing ‘very serious and defamatory allegations’ that he claimed Amanda had no supporting evidence for.
