Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke has said he hopes to retain his seat on the panel in the future as his first year as an official judge comes to an end.
Having made no secret of his hopes to become a Strictly judge in the past, the former long-serving professional finally got his wish this year, when he was recruited to fill in for Bruno Tonioli, who couldn’t take part in the show due to travel restrictions.
With the series almost over, viewers are now questioning whether Anton – who has been well-received by most Strictly fans – could be kept on as a full-time judge, which he seems quite in favour of.
Reflecting on how he’s found judging Strictly, he joked to Metro: “I’ve loved coming back every week. I’ll carry on judging, please.”
When asked whether he’d missed dancing, he added: “I have a bit, especially when I see a number that I wish I’d done. When Tom Fletcher danced a foxtrot to Fly Me To The Moon I wanted to nudge him out of the way and have a dance, although I don’t think he’d have appreciated that.
“But then I’m not missing the bit where they go, ‘And not dancing next week is…’.”
Craig Revel Horwood recently said he’d be in favour of Anton becoming a permanent Strictly judge.
Earlier this week, the sharp-tongued star said Anton had been “a great addition” to the panel, explaining: “He knows the process of working with celebrities inside out, he’s been there.
“Particularly with celebs that haven’t been ‘gifted’, he’s had to manoeuvre them around that dance floor – and he’s been with great dancers, where he could show off his talents.
“Armed with all that information, he’s showing great empathy for the celebs,” Craig added. “He’s more lenient than me. And he’s funny. Long may it continue, he’s a good egg, Anton.”
This year’s Strictly final airs on Saturday night at 7pm on BBC One.