Josh Widdicombe said his 2024 appearance on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special was the worst day of his career, days after reports linked him to talks about becoming one of the show’s next hosts.
The 43-year-old comic made the remark on Friday 15 May at Hackney Empire, where he was appearing in his Not My Cup Of Tea show. He said he had taken part in the festive special at his daughter’s request, but the experience left him convinced he was exactly the kind of contestant the ballroom show uses to make everyone else look better.
“I had the worst day of my career,” Widdicombe said, adding: “There’s always a s*** middle-aged bloke that makes everyone else look good.” He then spelled out his own view of how the night played out, saying: “I was like, ‘Oh f***. I am the s*** middle-aged guy. I am Adrian Chiles, je suis Jeremy Vine, that is who I am. Did I do well? I got a 10 from Anton Du Beke. Is he the toughest judge? Yes he is. Don’t Google that’.”
Widdicombe was paired with Karen Hauer for the 2024 Strictly Christmas special, which came before Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly stepped away at the end of last year’s series. Reports suggest Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe are now poised to sign on to host Strictly Come Dancing, raising the possibility that one of the show’s more self-deprecating former contestants could move from being judged on the dance floor to steering the programme from the sidelines.
The contrast is sharp. Widdicombe is being discussed as a possible presenter while he is also describing the same Strictly universe as the setting for a humiliating personal low point. That mix of embarrassment and visibility is part of what makes the name in the hosting conversation stand out: the show may be looking not just for a familiar face, but for someone who understands exactly how unforgiving the spotlight can be when the music starts.
