EXCLUSIVE: Strictly Come Dancing star Lewis Cope has opened up about his time on the show and who he would like to see replace Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly as host
Strictly Come Dancing star Lewis Cope wouldn’t mind seeing Alan Carr take over the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom reins.
With Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepping away, speculation over their replacements is already swirling with Alan reportedly holding the top spot after his Traitors victory. “I think Alan would be brilliant,” Lewis says. “He’s funny, people love him, and he’s really current. Why not? He’d be hilarious with the judges – he’d probably go, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you were brilliant!’”
His partner Katya Jones smiles but has her own view. “Alan would be great fun, but I think Jeannette Manrara would make an amazing host. She knows the dancing, she knows what we go through. She’d bring real heart.”
Away from host talk, Lewis, who is one out of 13 siblings, is still adjusting to life under the glitterball – and his girlfriend, Call the Midwife actor Rachel Maya Lopez, has been cheering him on. “She’s absolutely loving it,” he says. “She’s bursting with pride. I show her rehearsal videos and she’s the best confidence booster. Even when I think we’re struggling, she’ll say, ‘I love this – it’s your best one yet!’”
He laughs when asked if they practise together at home. “No – I’m quite regimented. I like rehearsing in the same space, keeping things structured. I don’t want to confuse my brain!”
Critics might point to his past – Lewis trained in dance years ago before focusing on acting – but he’s quick to clarify. “It was a long time ago and only for a couple of years. I’ve been an actor for 12 years. You can’t fake what we do out there – I’m drenched in sweat every day trying to keep up with the pros.”
Katya nods. “People think he’s had it easy, but he’s working harder than anyone. It’s not a given – it’s earned. Compared to my previous partners, this isn’t easier or quicker. If anything, it’s more challenging because I can ask more of him.”
After scoring a perfect 40 last week, the pair are determined to stay grounded. “We never try to top it,” Lewis says. “From the start we’ve focused on working as hard as we can each week. What happens at the weekend happens – then we move on. Every dance is new.”
Still, for all the physical intensity, Katya says the show is as much mental as muscular. “You need stamina in your body, but even more in your head,” she says. “Every week you’re resetting – new choreography, new story, new pressure. That’s why having someone like Lewis who can stay positive makes such a difference.”
The physical demands don’t get easier with time. “As the years go on, you feel it more,” Katya admits. “Viewers are more educated now – they know what to look for, and the standard’s higher.”
“I once popped into Boots and someone said, ‘Aren’t you meant to be rehearsing? I need a good show tonight!’ You really feel that responsibility.”
Every week brings a new challenge for the pair and as they have performed the Cha Cha to Pete Rodriguez’s I like it Like That, Lewis found it tricky. “You’re learning a new way of moving every time,” Lewis says.
“This week it was about transferring weight – that was tricky.” Katya adds, “He’s an incredible student. Even when we hit a low midweek, he’ll watch the videos, critique himself, and come back the next morning ready to go. His resilience is amazing.”
He smiles. “We just want to entertain people – that’s what the show’s about. If we can give people joy on a Saturday night, that’s a win.”
