BBC Breakfast star shares why she's 'banned' from Strictly Come Dancing
A BBC star who regularly features on celebrity shows has revealed the cute reason you won't be seeing her on Strictly Come Dancing. Louise Minchin, the former face of BBC Breakfast, has been on several reality TV shows such as Time Crashers and Celebrity MasterChef, and embarked on a gruelling 100-mile trek across the Namib Desert for charity.
Yet she has just revealed one programme you'll never catch her on is Strictly Come Dancing all thanks to a 'lifetime ban' from her kids due to their fears of her dance floor disasters.
Speaking candidly with The Times, Louise shared that her children fear she would prove to be a debacle on the dance floor: "They know I'm a terrible dancer so the possibility of being hugely embarrassing is massive," she explained, "I'm banned for being embarrassing."
Read more: Strictly couple 'told off by bosses'
Despite the Strictly snub, Minchins competitive spirit remains as she gears up to join the ranks in a star-studded Celebrity Gladiators showdown. Commenting on her upcoming venture, she expressed her enthusiasm: "I am so excited to be on Gladiators. I have watched the show for years and have always thought it looked like terrifying fun, and I can't wait to be part of it! ".
After two decades of lighting up the mornings on BBC Breakfast, Louise stepped away from the show in 2021. She recently disclosed to The Times the toll the job took on her, labelling the experience as "utterly gruelling".
She opened up about the intense nature of the role: "You have to be 100 per cent nice Louise. That job comes with an enormous amount of pressure. It's relentless.
"The hours are horrific, utterly, utterly gruelling, and it has an impact on every different part of your life - when you eat, when you sleep, how you feel. It was my dream job and I absolutely loved it but I'd done it enough."
After working in what she described as her "dream job," the seasoned journalist has turned to novel-writing, releasing 'Isolation Island. ' The book, which is based around a fictional reality TV show, was inspired by a chance meeting with Jeffrey Archer 25 years ago.
Drawing from personal experiences during her stint on 'I'm A Celeb,' where relentless storms in the harsh Welsh winter played havoc with the production, Louise decided to tap into the old adage: "write about what you know".