Dan Walker addresses not doing 'Strictly' tour: I never expected to stay in show so long
Dan Walker has cited his family as the reason he will not be taking to the road on the Strictly Come Dancing live tour in 2022.
The BBC Breakfast host – who has three children with his wife Sarah – finally left the BBC dance competition with professional partner Nadiya Bychkova in the quarter final after weeks of evading the dance-off thanks to votes from viewers.
The line-up for the Strictly 2022 live tour has now been announced and all the semi-finalists are taking part, along with CBBC presenter Tilly Ramsay, who was voted out the week before Walker, and Dragon's Den star Sara Davies who was the seventh celebrity to be eliminated from the competition.
Read more: Dan Walker hits back at Piers Morgan for mocking his Strictly exit
Walker, 44, said: "I can’t wait to take my family to watch the #Strictly tour this year but I sadly won’t be part of it.
I can’t wait to take my family to watch the #Strictly tour this year but I sadly won’t be part of it.
I have too many work commitments and I want to be at home after spending so much longer on the actual show than I ever expected
😂🕺🏼💃🏼
I’m sure it’ll be amazing - as usual.— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) December 7, 2021
"I have too many work commitments and I want to be at home after spending so much longer on the actual show than I ever expected. I’m sure it’ll be amazing - as usual."
The 2022 Strictly live tour will travel to Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Nottingham, London and Sheffield, where Walker attended university and met his wife.
It is scheduled for 33 shows between 20 January and 13 February, including four Sunday performances.
Walker is an Evangelical Christian and spoken about how he has always refused to work on a Sunday.
He told the Radio Times: “Sundays are even more important than the best job in the world.
“For practical and spiritual reasons it’s really important to me. It’s a personal decision I made for the good of my family, and I’ve managed somehow to maintain it for 20 years. I’m in the job because I love doing it, but it’s not the be all and end all.”
The Strictly elimination shows are on a Sunday evening but are pre-recorded on a Saturday night.
Semi-finalists Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite, EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis, and TV presenters AJ Odudu and Rhys Stephenson will all take part in the tour with their professional partners from the show.
They will be joined by Ramsay and Davies and their professional dance partners.
The Wanted singer Max George, who competed in Strictly in 2020, will also join the tour, dancing with Katya Jones.
Read more: 'Strictly' announces semi-final song and dance line-up for double performances
Strictly professionals Amy Dowden, Neil Jones, Luba Mushtuk and Jowita Przystal will also perform on the tour.
Watch: Dan Walker didn't think he would be so popular with Strictly viewers
