Josh Widdicombe has admitted he "would have loved" to compete in a full series of Strictly Come Dancing prior to being chosen as the show's new co-host.
The 43-year-old comedian is set to present the long-running BBC series alongside Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe.
Having taken part in the 2024 Christmas special, Widdicombe expressed that he would have enjoyed a longer stint on the main competition. The Last Leg co-host finished as runner-up after scoring 36 out of 40 for a Charleston performed in a penguin costume with professional dancer Karen Hauer to the song “Let It Snow”.
Speaking to the Press Association and other media outlets ahead of the upcoming series, Widdicombe was asked if he had hoped to return as a contestant before being offered the presenting role.
"I think I’d have loved to do a full season of the show," he said. "That would have been thrilling… but let’s been honest, I wouldn’t have made it through the whole season."
He highlighted the achievements of fellow comedians on the series, adding: "But once you’ve seen Chris McCausland, who I’ve done gigs with, lift the Glitterball I thought, ‘Oh, this is up for grabs’, because I had only ever known Chris as a really good stand-up.
"And Bill Bailey won too. Maybe being a stand-up is the way to win."
He continued: "But I don’t think the world needed me to do any more.
"I don’t want to say it… but I completed Strictly and had to move on!"
When his hosting role was announced in May, Widdicombe remarked: "Dancing the Charleston dressed as a penguin for the 2024 Christmas special of Strictly remains my career high point, so I am giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television.
"I adore Emma and Jojo and can’t wait to spend my weekends with them. I’ll dust off the penguin costume."
Strictly returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday September 19.
This year's celebrity contestants include former Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen, actress Melanie Walters, former England footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and Australian singer Delta Goodrem.
Evaluating the new cast, Radebe said: "I love this line-up because I just think it’s full of surprises.
"There’s going to be people that you wouldn’t expect to be so great, and there’s people that will just probably take on the magic of the show and embrace the whole thing, and then and just turn out favourites.
"But it seems like everybody is up for it, which is exciting."
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