Entertainment
Strictly 2021 lineup: Who is Dan Walker? Height, wife, BBC career and more
Dan Walker will be waltzing onto the dancefloor (Picture: BBC)
It’s tradition that a morning show presenter hits the Strictly Come Dancing floor each year, and in 2021, that person is none other than Dan Walker.
The BBC Breakfast has been confirmed as the latest addition to the 2021 Strictly line-up, becoming the eighth name announced.
The 44-year-old said: ‘I am definitely excited, a little bit worried, mostly terrified and a small part of me is considering going into hiding! My kids have only ever asked me to go on two shows… Saturday Mash Up and Strictly. I did Saturday Mash Up this summer so… it’s time to embrace the sequins.’
For those of you who aren’t early risers, Dan is best known for presenting BBC Breakfast since 2016, having replaced Bill Turnbull.
He currently co-presents from Mondays to Wednesdays with Louise Minchin, who is leaving the show this year.
Dan has a bit of a gap in his schedule this year to make room for Strictly, having stepped down from hosting Football Focus after 12 years at the helm.
Alex Scott will be taking over the job.
Dan Walker is a member of the BBC Breakfast team (Picture: PA)
However, he took over from Mark Chapman as host of The NFL Show on the BBC last year, and was recently one of the main presenters of the BBC’s Olympics breakfast coverage.
Dan has also covered Wimbledon, The Grand National, Royal Ascot, The Derby, the 6 Nations and the Open golf coverage for the BBC, as well as hosting The One Show, Match of the Day and Songs of Praise.
But will he be as dab a hand at dancing as he is at presenting?
The broadcaster has been married to Sarah Walker since 2001, and they live with their three children, Susanna, Jessica and Joe, in Sheffield.
Previously speaking about how his wife reacted to his BBC Breakfast job, Dan told The Mirror: ‘She thought it was going to be a disaster, me getting up that early, turning into a zombie. We’ve got a dog and three kids, so if I slammed the door at 3.30am saying, “Bye everyone,” it wouldn’t work.’
Dan is 6ft 6 (Picture: Kieran McManus/BPI/Shutterstock)
However, the job has given Dan more time at home, with the star adding: ‘One of the major reasons I took the job is it gives me more time at home. Most days I can be home by 11am, which means I can do the school run.’
Dan joins McFly’s Tom Fletcher, Peep Show star Robert Webb, presenter AJ Odudu, Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite, CBBC host Rhys Stephenson, Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies and Coronation Street actress Katie McGlynn on the line-up.
More names are expected to be announced this week.
More: Strictly Come Dancing
While the celebrities’ partners won’t be revealed until the show returns, Dan will have to be paired with a rather tall lady, as he stands at 6ft 6.
Previously speaking about his ‘tall man issues’, he said: ‘I fell off a stage at Wembley a few years ago. It was the Champions League final and I was hosting this big event in the arena next door in the build-up. In the rehearsal, it was really dark and I just fell off the stage and landed 6ft down on my back on a load of plugs. That hasn’t helped.’
