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Comedian Josh Widdicombe has praised the dynamics of the new Strictly Come Dancing hosting team, saying there are “no egos” – but quipped he was “terrified” by the first live show.
The 43-year-old is co-presenting the long-running BBC show alongside Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe.
Ahead of this weekend’s first live episode, he shared what he enjoys most about working with his colleagues.
He said: “We feel like a team where there’s no ego.
“That there’s no one wanting to put themselves out front more than the others.
“That we feel like we’ve all got our different personalities and they gel together.
“Emma and Johannes are just so generous, sweet and funny – they make working on Strictly feel even more exciting and joyous to me.”
Radebe, 39, also said that he loved how his two co-hosts were “both completely themselves”.
“Emma is such a formidable broadcaster.
“She has this incredible ability to make everything look effortless, while being incredibly precise and prepared.
“And Joshy is just brilliantly funny, he has this wonderful ability to find the joke without forcing it,” he said.
“For me, it’s been about finding our rhythm as a trio.
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“I’m learning so much from both of them, and I think we bring very different energies to the show.
“That’s what makes it exciting.”
Willis, 50, added Widdicombe and Radebe were “both so down to earth, humble, funny, lovely guys who both love Strictly with a passion and are here to do a great job and have fun.
“I think that’s all anyone would want – they’re just fab and we kind of gelled from the moment we met,” she said.
Widdicombe added that hosting the first episode of Strictly was the “most brilliantly terrifying thing I’ve done”.
He said: “I had so much adrenaline on the night that I had to have two naps the day after!
“I don’t think at any point since getting the job had it felt real until we heard the music start up and Alan Dedicoat say our names.
“The whole thing was a mix of joy and exhaustion off the back of fear – and totally and utterly thrilling.”
Speaking about the first live show, he added: “I think it’s going to be really, really fun.
“It’s going to feel utterly surreal, just as terrifying as the first one. Will it ever stop being terrifying?
“I hope not, because hosting something like this should be the best kind of terrifying.”
Strictly Come Dancing will return for its first live show of the new season on Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One and iPlayer.