Krishnan Guru-Murthy, a Channel 4 News anchor, has been named as the fourth celebrity contender for Strictly Come Dancing 2023.
On the BBC programme, the famed journalist, 53, will compete against Amanda Abbington, Layton Williams, and Angela Rippon.
Krishnan stated on Claudia Winkleman’s BBC Radio 2 show on Saturday that he had joined Strictly and had come at the studio in a Traitors-style cloak to escape discovery.
Explaining why he had agreed to take part, he said: ‘You only live once. I’m here for the joy and the fun. I love my job. It’s very, very privileged: I go to amazing places and speak to amazing people, but it’s incredibly serious; it’s quite stressful.
‘So the idea of being able to have pure intravenous joy, alongside – because I’m going to be doing the news at the same time – is just irresistible.’
Krishnan had admitted he had previously sworn off ever signing up for Strictly but said that ‘something had changed this year.’
While his wife, Lisa, and 18-year-old daughter supported his new enterprise, he joked that his son, 16, is ‘appalled’ – despite the fact that he is performing with his band at the first live event.
‘We’ll bring him round,’ Claudia added.
Krishnan, who cited 2020 winner Bill Bailey as an inspiration, follows in the footsteps of prominent journalists such as Natasha Kaplinksy, Susanna Reid, and Jeremy Vine.
Jeremy, who performed on Strictly Come dance in 2015, called on Claudia’s radio programme to express his support for Krishnan, telling him to ’embrace his inner kid’ and unite with his dance partner.
Other alleged Strictly contestants include Stuart Broad, Brenda Williams, and Les Dennis.
In 2022, celebrity cameraman-turned-dancer Hamza Yassin and his professional partner Jowita Przystal won the long-running ballroom tournament.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and iPlayer later this year.
Source My Celebrity Life.
