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Janette Manrara quits 'Strictly' and joins spin-off 'It Takes Two'

Watch: Janette Manrara quits Strictly and joins It Takes Two

Janette Manrara has announced that she is waltzing off Strictly and joining spin-off It Takes Two instead.

The dancer will replace Zoe Ball, who recently stepped down as a co-presenter on the BBC2 programme.

Manrara announced her news on The One Show, saying the “hardest part” of saying yes to the new role was saying goodbye to the Strictly dancefloor.

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The star - who has been a dancer on the BBC show since its 11th series – will host alongside current presenter Rylan Clark-Neal.

She said she had always loved appearing on the spin-off programme, which offers behind-the-scenes gossip and interviews from the celebrity dance contest.

Janette Manrara at the Strictly Come Dancing Launch at BBC Broadcasting House in London. (Photo by Keith Mayhew / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)
Janette Manrara said she's always loved appearing on 'It Takes Two'. (Keith Mayhew / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)

“One of my favourite parts of doing Strictly was always to sit down on that couch and just chat away,” she told hosts Alex Jones and Ronan Keating.

“It's the most fun.

“I remember meeting Zoe, gosh that was eight years ago now when I did the first It Takes Two sit-down. And thinking, 'This is the coolest job ever. You get to sit down, talk about dancing, make people feel good and celebrate their successes on the show'.

"I did say, 'One day I would love to do that', and it's here, here we are!"

Ball hosted It Takes Two for a decade but stepped down in May.

She said she had loved her stint on the programme but that it was time for some “new cha cha challenges”.

Zoe Ball at the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2016 at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. Picture date: Tuesday 30th August, 2016. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire.
Zoe Ball has stepped down from 'It Takes Two'. (Ian West/PA Wire)

Manrara said on Twitter that it would be “impossible” to fill Ball’s shoes but that she hoped to make her proud.

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The 37-year-old became a professional dancer on Strictly in 2013 and over the years has been partnered with celebs such as Jake Wood and Aston Merrygold.

Manrara is married to Strictly dancer Aljaz Skorjanec.

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