{"id":36707,"date":"2023-09-11T09:00:08","date_gmt":"2023-09-11T07:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1886582"},"modified":"2023-09-11T12:52:51","modified_gmt":"2023-09-11T10:52:51","slug":"krishnan-guru-murthy-says-he-was-stupid-to-turn-strictly-down-before","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/krishnan-guru-murthy-says-he-was-stupid-to-turn-strictly-down-before\/","title":{"rendered":"Krishnan Guru-Murthy says he was \u201cstupid\u201d to turn Strictly down before"},"content":{"rendered":"

“If I don’t do it now, I might not be able to do it in three or four years’ time.” <\/p>

By Katelyn Mensah\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 11 September 2023 at 07:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Krishnan Guru-Murthy has revealed he has turned down Strictly Come Dancing \u201clots of times\u201d but has finally made the leap and will be putting on his dancing shoes for the 21st season of the talent show.<\/p>\n

The journalist is best known for his work on Channel 4<\/a> News, after joining the programme in 1998. Murthy is the second longest-serving presenter behind Jon Snow<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He will be competing against the likes of documentary maker Zara McDermott<\/a>, EastEnders actor Nigel Harman<\/a> and theatre performer Layton Williams<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Krishnan-Guru\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Krishnan Guru-Murthy. BBC<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Speaking to RadioTimes.com<\/a> and other press, the reporter revealed he had been approached by the BBC to take part in Strictly Come Dancing multiple times, but turned it down because he thought he shouldn\u2019t \u201cdeviate\u201d from his serious persona as a news journalist.<\/p>\n

He explained: \u201cI mean, for me, I think we\u2019ve been through a very difficult time. You know, the pandemic, working from home, the Ukraine war, political chaos; things that felt very, very intense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve said no lots of times because I thought, you know, I\u2019m a serious person and I can\u2019t deviate from that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The journalist noted he was \u201cstupid\u201d to turn down the opportunity and realised he should \u201cgo and enjoy\u201d the experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe only have one life, and you\u2019ve got to grasp everything when it\u2019s there. I\u2019ve got a couple of health issues and all the rest of it, and I kind of think, \u2018Well, if I if I don\u2019t do it now, I might not be able to do it in three or four years\u2019 time, so do it now,’\u201d he continued.<\/p>

Murthy isn\u2019t the first journalist to appear on Strictly, with Kate Silverton, Richard Arnold and Stacey Dooley having taken part in the talent show in previous years.<\/p>\n

Ahead of his appearance on the show, Guru-Murthy said: \u201cI\u2019m surprised, delighted and slightly confused to find myself taking part in Strictly on the basis of \u2018you only live once!\u2019 and I can\u2019t wait to start learning to dance, but I am slightly worried about my general decrepitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I\u2019m going to love it and have a brilliant time, and just hope I\u2019m not the only one enjoying my participation.\u201d<\/p>