Janette Manrara quits Strictly and joins spin-off It Takes Two
Janette Manrara has announced that she is waltzing off Strictly and joining spin-off It Takes Two instead.
The dancer will replace Zoe Ball, who recently stepped down as a co-presenter on the BBC2 programme.
Manrara announced her news on The One Show, saying the “hardest part” of saying yes to the new role was saying goodbye to the Strictly dancefloor.
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The star - who has been a dancer on the BBC show since its 11th series – will host alongside current presenter Rylan Clark-Neal.
She said she had always loved appearing on the spin-off programme, which offers behind-the-scenes gossip and interviews from the celebrity dance contest.
“One of my favourite parts of doing Strictly was always to sit down on that couch and just chat away,” she told hosts Alex Jones and Ronan Keating.
“It's the most fun.
“I remember meeting Zoe, gosh that was eight years ago now when I did the first It Takes Two sit-down. And thinking, 'This is the coolest job ever. You get to sit down, talk about dancing, make people feel good and celebrate their successes on the show'.
"I did say, 'One day I would love to do that', and it's here, here we are!"
It's true!@JManrara is the new co-host with @Rylan on @BBCStrictly#ItTakesTwo 🔥#TheOneShowpic.twitter.com/3Y8Xh8V9Fe
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) June 10, 2021
Ball hosted It Takes Two for a decade but stepped down in May.
She said she had loved her stint on the programme but that it was time for some “new cha cha challenges”.
Manrara said on Twitter that it would be “impossible” to fill Ball’s shoes but that she hoped to make her proud.
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The 37-year-old became a professional dancer on Strictly in 2013 and over the years has been partnered with celebs such as Jake Wood and Aston Merrygold.
Manrara is married to Strictly dancer Aljaz Skorjanec.