Sara Cox has revealed she auditioned to become a host of Strictly Come Dancing, saying the tryout came just two days after she was offered her Radio 2 Breakfast Show job.
The 51-year-old broadcaster said she was taken in a car to a secret destination for the audition and described the process as hush-hush. “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,” Cox said on Tuesday, May 19. “Oh, I’ll go along and try for Strictly as well, why not, and what next? News at Ten?”
Cox said the whole experience was “really great fun,” even though she did not get the presenting job. Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe will host the upcoming series, which is due to debut in the autumn.
The revelation comes as Cox has just landed another major Radio 2 role, taking over Scott Mills’ slot. Mills was fired from the in March after it emerged he was involved in claims of serious sexual offences back in 2017, with the broadcaster saying it acted after learning the alleged victim in the police investigation was under 16. Mills has denied all allegations against him.
The Strictly hosting search unfolded alongside wider changes around the programme, with other names including Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark also reported to have been approached before losing out. It also came amid changes to the show’s professional dancer lineup, including Nadiya Bychkova, Gorka Márquez and Luba Mushtuk being shown the door. Cox’s account makes clear the audition really happened, but the job went elsewhere — and the new host line-up is already set for autumn.
