Rylan Clark has broken his silence after announcing that his was quitting Strictly Come Dancing's spin-off show after four years. The TV and radio star left fans saddened with the news that he'd be stepping back from his hosting role on Strictly: It Takes Two ahead of the BBC dance contest's return later this year.
Rylan joined the show in 2019 as Zoe Ball's co-host before his fellow Radio 2 star left and was replaced by Strictly's former professional dancer Janette Manrara. After the BBC confirmed his exit on Wednesday (April 12), in his own message, the 34-year-old said he is stepping down from presenting the show to "pass on the baton to someone else and explore what else life has for me".
In a statement shared on social media, the former X Factor star and Celebrity Big Brother winner wrote: "I’ve had the best time hosting the show alongside Janette and Zoe and I can’t thank the amazing team enough for always putting on a great show. I’ve been welcomed into the Strictly family and will firmly hold that title dear to me.
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"The time has come for me to pass on the baton to someone else and explore what else life has for me." He movingly concluded his message: "Thank you Strictly, you will always have my heart… and dancing feet."
As fans shared their upset at the news, as well as wishing him well in his next venture, some were quick to speculate as to whether he had left It Takes Two in order to present another show... Big Brother! The popular reality show, which was axed five years ago by Channel 5, is returning on ITV2 this autumn, and Rylan has been widely rumoured to be returning after hosting the show's spin-off after winning the celeb version of the show.
But he has since shut down the claims, replying to a fan account begging: "Not that I am jumping to conclusions or anything but I AM JUMPING… It Tales Two was always going to clash… with Big Brother…?" Rylan then simply wrote in reply: "Ur jumping sadly x."
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Rylan also returned to his Instagram Story, sharing a video of him lip-syncing along to a song while sporting an eye-popping filter. The song in question was In the Middle by the Sugababes and the brief clip saw the Essec-born star mouthing the lyrics: "Sooner or later this drunken elevator Is gonna stop where I'm supposed to be. It's ten past eleven, I'm half way up to heaven but I'm stuck in reality."
But it appears it wasn't as cryptic as it may have seemed as he appeared to just be enjoying the track while sat in what looked like an office. Alongside the clip he simply wrote: "Dublin," with a red heart.
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