I turned down Tess’ job on Strictly... and I’m glad I did
Denise thought show would be boring
DENISE Van Outen has revealed she turned down the chance to present Strictly Come Dancing – and thinks it was one of her best career moves.
She had been asked by friend Sir Bruce Forsyth to co-host the show.
But she snubbed the opportunity as it sounded boring and Tess Daly got the job.
The actress initially regretted the decision when the BBC ballroom celeb dancing programme became a huge hit.
But Denise, 48, said it was a blessing in disguise because she was able to have a more diverse career.
She told The Matt Haycox
Show podcast: “I knew
Bruce Forsyth really well.
“And I’ve done a few shows with him.
We used to sing together.
“He approached me to be sidekick in the new Strictly Come Dancing. He said to me, ‘there’s this show, it’s all ballroom, it’s gonna be celebrities’.
“And he added, ‘I want to open MOVER Denise as Roxie in Chicago the show with a song and dance with you, and close it with you – he knew I danced and sang. I remember sitting there and I went ‘Bruce, it sounds really boring’. So, they gave it to Tess Daly.”
She added: “Tess has done it so well for many years, but just kind of does that. “Whereas, I went on to do Broadway, I’ve done film, I’ve done theatre in the West End – I’ve done so many other things. “And, I wouldn’t have had such a varied career if I’d taken it. So, actually, for me, it worked out.”
The former Big Breakfast presenter, who starred in Chicago in the West End and on Broadway, competed on Strictly in 2012, finishing runner-up. Denise also appeared on Dancing On Ice in 2021. Tess, 53, dubbed Miss Sunshine by Bruce Forsyth, co-hosted Strictly from 2004 to 2013. Since 2014 she has been the show’s main presenter. Forsyth died in 2017, aged 89. Denise has told in recent weeks how she has started therapy to help her get over her split from Eddie Boxshall in January.