It could appear as if Emma Willis has already conquered showbusiness, having earned legions of followers because the host of primetime reveals together with The Voice UK and Massive Brother, however even she is feeling nervous as she prepares to current the brand new collection of Strictly Come Dancing.
“There are at all times plenty of nerves and adrenaline earlier than any present, however it’s most likely tenfold this time,” she tells HELLO!.
It is a large yr for one of many BBC‘s hottest reveals, which stated goodbye to earlier presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on the finish of 2025. Moving into their sneakers are Emma, 50, and her two co-hosts: The Final Leg’s Josh Widdicombe, 43, and the present’s long-serving skilled dancer Johannes Radebe, 39.
The choice to nominate three presenters got here as a shock even to Strictly’s producers, Emma reveals. “They stated to us after we went in: ‘We have gone a bit rogue, as a result of a trio wasn’t one thing we would ever considered. However seeing what we have seen, we questioned in the event you three may work fairly effectively collectively.’ And it seems we did.”
Nerves had already been operating excessive for Emma, who confessed that she “could not get a phrase out” when she first carried out a display screen take a look at for the function. “I learn tons of of scripts on a regular basis, however I may barely communicate,” she says.
“I felt like a newbie once more. It was really good to really feel these nerves and to really feel that drive. I used to be diplomatic with myself from the start and thought: ‘I am mega-grateful to be within the combine, however I do not for one second assume I am going to get it, so I will not overthink it.’”
© CREDIT LINE:BBC/Man LevyBeing supplied the function lastly fulfils a dream for the presenter, who had been hoping to compete within the present. “I needed to do it for a very long time,” she says. “Being a contestant has been on my thoughts for about seven years, however it by no means labored out.” Diary clashes had prevented audiences from seeing Emma don sequins, however by sheer probability, she was matched together with her new co-host, Johannes, in a Strictly dance trial a couple of years in the past.
“I used to be completely gutted as a result of I had at all times stated that if I ever danced, I’d wish to dance with him,” she says. “However now I get to bounce with him differently, so it was all meant to be.”
“However now I get to bounce with him differently, so it was all meant to be.”
Household assist
Regardless of touchdown one of many largest roles on TV, Emma – who has been married to Busted star Matt Willis, 43, since 2008 – did not impress all of her household together with her thrilling profession information.
© BAFTA by way of Getty Photos“Mine had been over the moon,” she says of her three youngsters, Isabelle, 17, Ace, 14, and Trixie, ten. “We watch Strictly each week and my youngsters have grown up with it. One cried, one other advised me how proud they had been and my youngest was barely gutted as a result of she thought my information was going to be that I used to be pregnant!
“I needed to let her down, however she was blissful that I used to be engaged on the present.”
Strictly Come Dancing begins on BBC1 at 7.25pm on Saturday 19 September
