Krishnan Guru-Murthy says Strictly stint has 'unlocked all sorts of feelings'

28 October 2023 , 18:55

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Krishnan Guru-Murthy (Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)

Newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy reckons he will need “years of therapy” to get over Strictly.

In the wake of Amanda Abbington quitting the series this week, the Channel 4 News anchor says he has been surprised by how much of an effect the show has had on him. Krishnan said: “I thought it would be essentially some fun, and it’s been much more meaningful and profound for me than that because it’s unlocked all sorts of feelings.

“Getting in touch with my emotions and happiness and balance… it’s quite big and will probably require years of therapy after this is all over. I’ve got back in touch with some of the simple feelings of enjoying things that gradually had been hammered out of me, through the process of becoming middle-aged.”

Krishnan is surprised at how well he is doing on Strictly (PA)

Krishnan, 53, also says he has surprised his Channel 4 boss – and himself – with how well he and his professional partner Lauren Oakley have done so far. He says: “Part of the process of persuading me to do Strictly was a little dance with Katya and I went into my editor’s office and said, ‘Guess what I was doing this morning?’.

"And showed her my phone, which was a little video of me doing salsa steps with Katya, and she instantly knew what that meant and said, ‘Brilliant, you are going to do it? Excellent. Yeah, that’s fine with us.’ So they were very, very good about it. But as I say, I think they probably thought I’d be out it earlier than I have turned out.

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“It’s safe to say, I never expected to be here for Halloween. Neither did the boss actually. So she did say to me last weekend, ‘If I’d have known you were this good, I’d have never agreed to you doing it.’ Another advantage Krishnan reveals to starring on the show is the timber he’s shifted as a result of weeks of intensive dance training.

“I’ve lost about two stone going into Strictly,” he reveals. “And I’ve lost about half a stone or a bit more than that since doing the show. Belt holes have gone in a lot. Yes. I mean, I’m still wearing the belt. It’s about seven inches down! It’s like your body kind of shrinks and tightens, you are a bit more toned.”

Katie Begley