Rylan Clark admits 'I never normally does this' as he makes BBC Radio 2 show 'change'

Rylan Clark declared "I would never normally do this" as he made a "change" to his Radio 2 programme on Saturday. Rylan, 36, invited former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse into his studio ahead of the programme's comeback next month.

Oti, 35, featured on the programme between 2005 and 2021. She claimed the coveted Glitterball Trophy in 2019 with Emmerdale legend Kelvin Fletcher and 2020 with comedian Bill Bailey.

Her elder sister Motsi, 44, will once again be featuring on the judging panel this year alongside Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, and head judge Shirley Ballas, reports the Manchester Evening News.

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Strictly is scheduled to return on September 20 with a lineup of fresh celebrities, including Balvinder Sopal, Lewis Cope, Dani Dyer, Alex Kingston, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, George Clarke and La Voix.

They will be accompanied by Chris Robshaw, Vicky Pattison, Ellie Goldstein, Thomas Skinner, Stefan Dennis, Ross King and Karen Carney.

This year will witness Fleur East and Janette Manrara returning on the companion programme Strictly: It Takes Two.

Former X Factor star Fleur took over from Rylan as the presenter on the programme in 2023, when he decided to end his four-year stint on the programme.

Rylan joined the programme after departing Big Brother's Bit on the Side. Speaking to Oti, he reminisced about his debut episode of the programme.

Rylan revealed: "I will never forget my very first Strictly: It Takes Two. When I hosted that, I will never, ever forget, I'd come from Big Brother and Strictly's a bit more pristine, it's the BBC and all this, and I'm like, 'Should I really be here'.

"I was standing at the top of the stairs, ready to host that first show, and I've got to be honest, the title sequence is the longest title sequence in the world because it's all you lot spinning about. It's like I was waiting for a delayed aircraft, that's how long it was.

"Whether you've watched Strictly, whether you have been part of Strictly, hosted it, danced on it, whatever it is, when you hear that song it's like, 'Oh', it's a warm song."

The chat prompted Rylan to blast out the legendary TV theme tune on his wireless programme.

He declared: "I would never normally do this, but just for you, I'm going to play it for you."

Following the track, Oti, who will make her comeback to Strictly this year as a choreographer, exclaimed: "You've never done that before, I'm changing your show."

Rylan joined Strictly: It Takes Two in 2019 alongside Zoe Ball. However the veteran radio presenter left with former Strictly pro Janette replacing her.

When leaving the show in 2023, Rylan announced it was time to pass on the baton to someone else and explore what else life has for me". In a statement shared on social media, he 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. The time has come for me to pass on the baton to someone else and explore what else life has for me."

Since leaving the show, Rylan has gone on to appear in Dr Who, front Paramount+'s Dating Naked, and film the BAFTA-winning Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour.