Fleur East has admitted she was disappointed not to be considered for the presenting job on Strictly Come Dancing.
The TV and radio star, 38, who has presented Strictly’s spin off show It Takes Two for three years, said she has ‘been lying to myself when I’ve been saying, “I’m fine”.’
Fleur’s comments follow Zoe Ball’s admission this week that she was ‘grieving the rejection’ after failing to land the coveted role replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Speaking on her Hits Radio Breakfast Show on Wednesday morning, Fleur told co-hosts Will Best and James Barr: ‘I did say initially, after Tess and Claudia announced they were leaving Strictly you know, it’s probably not going to happen [for me] and I’m happy for whoever gets it.’
Referring to reports that Emma Willis has now been offered the job, she continued: ‘We were just talking about Emma Willis being announced and I was like, “yeah, great, amazing” and I’ve kind of lied to myself that I’d be all right with not doing it or not being considered for the job. But I’m kind of bothered.’
Fleur said that ‘I think it’s okay to admit that. I think it’s okay to admit that being faced with the opportunity of such an incredible job. I mean, it’s an amazing show.’
Fleur East has admitted she was disappointed not to be considered for the presenting job on Strictly Come Dancing
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down from the Saturday night role late last year
She said that she was proud to have been ‘a part of the family’ in her role as a contestant and as a presenter of It Takes Two, but admitted her work with the BBC show meant it felt like she was ‘within touching distance’ of the main presenting job.
‘I never allowed myself to really go fully there, but I did think about it. I was like, that would be amazing,’ she explained.
‘So yeah, I guess I have been lying to myself when I’ve been saying, “I’m fine. I’m coming to terms with it” but I feel I was okay before it was kind of confirmed that someone’s got the job.’
‘Until it was confirmed, I was like, well, they might call me one day. They might do all the tests and they go, “actually, yeah, we haven’t seen Fleur. Let’s give her a little call”. But it’s gone to the right person.’
It’s been reported that Fleur and her It Takes Two co-presenter Janette Manara have both lost their jobs on the spin off show as it also undergoes a huge overhaul.
Both Fleur and Janette have removed ‘#Strictly It Takes Two’ from their Instagram profiles, seemingly confirming that the spin off will have new hosts too.
It was reported last month that It Takes Two will return in the form of a vodcast, similar to that of other BBC spin off shows The Traitors: Uncloaked and The Apprentice: You’re Fired.
Meanwhile, on Monday Zoe Ball revealed she failed to land the role of Strictly Come Dancing host.
The TV and radio star, 38. who has presented Strictly’s spin off show It Takes Two for three years, said she has ‘been lying to myself when I’ve been saying, “I’m fine”‘
Zoe, who also previously hosted It Takes Two, has announced she ‘didn’t get’ the gig and is ‘working through the seven stages of grief and rejection’.
Despite missing out on the gig, Zoe said she is ‘thrilled’ for the people who got the role and insisted the BBC has made the ‘right decision’.
Speaking on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, Zoe said: ‘I didn’t get it, but it’s OK.’
She continued: ‘I have worked through the seven stages of grief and rejection over the last couple of days.
‘No, I didn’t get it. But I tell you what, if [it’s] who I think has got it, we’re in safe hands and our new hosts are going to be fabulous. I’m so thrilled for them, and hopefully at a later date we’ll be able to talk about them in more detail.’
The 55-year-old added: ‘I was so chuffed to even be in the mix. There were some pretty amazing people who didn’t even make it into the mix.
‘So I made it in the mix, and I had a really fun time having one last little play at a show that I love and adore. And I’m so thrilled for the gang that has got it.
‘I think there’s been so many eyes on this whole process, everyone’s quite relieved now that a decision has been made and the right decision has been made.’
Referring to reports that Emma Willis has now been offered the job, she continued: ‘We were just talking about Emma being announced and I’ve kind of lied to myself that I’d be all right’
Zoe wasn’t the only star who shed tears after being rejected from the Strictly gig, according to The Sun.
A source said: ‘The television industry is cut-throat. From the off, the BBC had their favourites but they knew they couldn’t just shoe-horn in who they wanted — it had to come down to the chemistry tests. The celebs were put into mix-and-match pairs.
‘The people who didn’t get offered the job just weren’t the right fit.
‘Some have taken it better than others. One big star who was tipped from day one has been sobbing about it — they were convinced the job was theirs for the taking.
‘They genuinely thought they’d the best chance but when it came down to what it felt like on screen, it didn’t work. Sadly, that’s the nature of the business and no amount of soggy Kleenexes will change the decision.’
It comes as Emma Willis is reportedly set to be announced as one of the new hosts.
Emma, 50, impressed during the chemistry tests, with BBC bosses seeing her as a ‘safe pair of hands’.
