Sara Cox Auditions for Strictly Host Role

Sara Cox has revealed she tried out for the Come Dancing hosting job as she recalled being whisked off to a 'secret destination' during the 'hush-hush' auditions. 

The DJ, 51, revealed she auditioned for the hotly contested presenter gig just two days after landing the Radio 2 Breakfast Show job following the sudden sacking of Scott Mills, 53, in March.

Despite successfully bagging the prime-time radio slot, the new Strictly hosts were confirmed on Tuesday as Emma Willis, 50, Josh Widdicombe, 43, and , 39. 

The trio will take over the ballroom dance competition in September after long-serving hosts , 57, and , 54, quit last year.

BBC bosses picked the trio after they invited a number of stars including Sara, , 55, and , 37, for chemistry tests.  

After the new hosts were revealed, Sara lifted the lid on the top secret audition process during her Radio 2 show on Tuesday. 

She said: 'I tried out for Strictly. And I will say I tried out for it two days after I got offered my number one, all-time, dream job of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

'So I was like, "Oh, I'll go along and try for Strictly as well, why not, and what next? News at Ten?"

'So I went along, and it was the most gorgeous experience. I got into a car that was taking me to a secret destination.

'It was all hush-hush, and it was basically a bit like, you know, when you can go and play the Crystal Maze interactive game? It was like that. I was like, "Great, I'm going to be a Strictly presenter for an hour!"

'The whole thing was really great fun.'

Sara congratulated Emma, Josh and Johannes for coming out on top in the auditions, and she is relieved that their signing was announced on Tuesday following months of speculation.

Sara added: 'I'm pleased now for all the gossip, and all the WhatsApp groups can calm the heck down, going, "Who is it?"'

In April, the broadcaster was named as the new host of BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show, and she will move from her current 4-7pm Teatime slot to the morning 6.30am-9.30am show this summer, following the sudden sacking of Scott Mills.

Sara said in a statement: 'There are not enough adjectives to really sum up how I'm feeling about being trusted with such an iconic show, but let's start with ecstatic, honoured and incredibly chuffed.

'It's been a dream to host the Breakfast Show since I joined Radio 2, and it feels like a bit of a full circle for me.

'I've had the most glorious seven years of my career on Teatime, so thank you to my brilliant Teatime listeners who hopefully will join me at Breakfast for excellent music and all my usual nonsense plus some superstar guests.

'I honestly can't wait to wake the nation up with the biggest, most fun breakfast show ever.'

On March 30, Scott's sacking from the BBC was announced just days after he was abruptly taken off air.

It later emerged that the DJ was investigated by police over alleged sexual offences involving a boy under the age of 16 back in 2018, but the case was closed in 2019 because 'the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges'.