Chris Evans confirms he will appear on Strictly Come Dancing 2019

The annual reveal of Strictly Come Dancing contestants is one of the BBC's most tightly controlled operations, with each celebrity announcing the news in a carefully placed interview. Not so, it seems, for Chris Evans, who has just broken with tradition by claiming he will appear on the 2019 competition less than a week after the 2018 series ended.

Evans, who will present his final BBC Radio 2 show on Christmas Eve after announcing his departure from the station in September, discussed Strictly on The One Show on Wednesday.

When host Alex Jones asked him to address the rumours that he would appear on Strictly, Evans said: “Well, I have said yes, I have said yes.” 

Evans said that he has met the commissioning editor of Strictly, who warned him: “it’s not as easy as maybe you imagine it will be”.

As for his secret-keeping, he said more contestants should follow his lead: “I think what’s funny about it, everyone puts it off and tries and keep it a secret. No. Announce now: we’re doing it.”

Evans will balance the gruelling Strictly schedule with his new show on Virgin, where he is returning almost 20 years after he left. 

Zoe Ball is replacing Evans to host the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.