Richard Madeley reveals he turned down Strictly Come Dancing

But unfortunately for viewers, the TV stalwart has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to appear on the BBC ballroom behemoth for fear of embarrassing himself.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, where he is standing in for a currently out-of-office Piers Morgan, he said: "I was talking to a booker from Strictly Come Dancing the other day because, for their folly, sometimes they ask me to go on it and I always say no. I wouldn't do it because of the jive. I cannot conceivably come on in Spandex and Lurex and do the flick kicks – I would look so stupid."

He added that the booker told him that male celebrities are a tough procure for the show.

"She was saying that more women celebrities say yes than men – it's much harder to get male celebrities to go on and do it."

This claim was supported by former Strictly pro Kristina Rihanoff, who explained that most women have a more natural ability to dance, and that men often have a hard time on the show.

"It's much more difficult because they have to lead, support, if they are doing a lift," she said. "It's a lot of work, for the boys it's very hard."