The actor and TV presenter was asked to do Strictly Come Dancing “once before”, but had to decline.
Television presenter, actor and comedian Les Dennis will make his Strictly Come Dancing debut this year in season 21, but he could have appeared on the show earlier if he hadn’t turned it down.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Dennis revealed that he was asked “once before”, but had to decline due to other commitments.
Asked on why he decided to sign up this year, Dennis, who played Michael Rodwell on Coronation Street, said: “It was an immediate yes this time. I was asked once before, but couldn’t do it because I was still in Corrie and you can’t do when you’re filming.
“But this time I thought I’m 70 this year, it’s probably the last time. So this is so exciting, to go into my 71st year thinking, ‘Wow, do something that is outside your comfort zone!’ Yeah, I didn’t hesitate.”
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The 2023 season will see judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke return to the panel, while Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly will reprise their role as hosts.
Les will compete against the likes of veteran broadcaster Angela Rippon, comedian Eddie Kadi, radio presenter Nikita Kanda and actor Nigel Harman, who are just some of the contestants in the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 line-up.
He feels the diverse line-up and audience of the show will allow for younger audiences to become familiar with him.
“I’m looking forward to the fact that we were talking about demographics before. Sometimes somebody will come up [to me] for a selfie and their kids will be going, ‘Who’s that?’
“So it’ll be nice to know that those kids might say [to their parents], ‘You’ve got his photo!’” he added.
Strictly Come Dancing starts at 6:35pm on 16th September on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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