Entertainmentbrendan cole uk celebritynatasha Kaplinsy

Natasha Kaplinsky: 'I Was Forced Into Doing Strictly Come Dancing'

'I Was Forced Into Doing Strictly Come Dancing'
The Huffington Post/PA

The first 'Strictly Come Dancing' champ Natasha Kaplinsky has said her BBC bosses 'forced' her to take part in ballroom show.

The newsreader - who won the first series in 2004 with professional partner Brendan Cole - said she was cajoled by BBC bosses and eventually 'ran out of excuses'.

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Natasha Kaplinsky

She told the Daily Mirror: "I got completely forced and put into a corner at the BBC.

"I'd just started at 'BBC Breakfast' and obviously the bosses at 'Strictly' had a shopping list and a newsreader was on it and I was their easiest target."

Her appearance in the show sparked rumours of an affair with Cole but Kaplinsky said they were not true.

She said: "There was chemistry, of course, and I certainly fell in love with dancing, but I did not fall in love with Brendan."

'Strictly Come Dancing': Winners
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(01 of10)
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Series 1 / 2004Winner: Natasha KaplinskyPartner: Brendan ColeAlso Starring: Jason Wood, David Dickinson, Verona Joseph, Claire Sweeney, Martin Offiah, Lesley Garrett, Christopher Parker (credit:BBC)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(02 of10)
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Series 2 / 2004Winner: Jill HalfpennyPartner: Darren BennettAlso Starring: Quentin Wilson, Carol Vorderman, Esther Rantzen, Diarmuid Gavin, Sarah Manners, Roger Black, Aled Jones, Julian Clary, Denise Lewis (credit:BBC)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(03 of10)
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Series 3 / 2005Winner: Darren GoughPartner: Lilia KopylovaAlso Starring: Siobhan Hayes, Jaye Jacobs, Gloria Hunniford, Fiona Phillips, Dennis Taylor, Will Thorp, Bill Turnbull, Patsy Palmer, James Martin, Zoe Ball, Colin Jackson (credit:PA)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(04 of10)
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Series 4 / 2006Winner: Mark RamprakashPartner: Karen HardyAlso Starring: Nicholas Owen, Jimmy Tarbuck, Mica Paris, DJ Spoony, Georgina Bouzova, Jan Ravens, Ray Fearon, Peter Schmeichel, Claire King, Carol Smillie, Louisa Lytton , Emma Bunton, Matt Dawson (credit:BBC)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(05 of10)
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Series 5 / 2007Winner: Alesha DixonPartner: Matthew CutlerAlso Starring: Brian Capron, Stephanie Beacham, Willie Thorne, Gabby Logan, Dominic Littlewood, Penny Lancaster Stewart, Kate Garraway, John Barnes, Kelly Brook, Kenny Logan, Letitia Dean, Gethin Jones, Matt Di Angelo (credit:PA)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(06 of10)
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Series 6 / 2008Winner: Tom ChambersPartner: Camilla DallerupAlso Starring: Phil Daniels, Gillian Taylforth, Gary Rhodes, Jessie Wallace, Don Warrington, Mark Foster, Andrew Castle, Heather Small, Cherie Lunghi, John Sergeant, Jodie Kidd, Christine Bleakley, Austin Healey, Lisa Snowdon, Rachel Stevens (credit:WENN)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(07 of10)
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Series 7 / 2009Winner: Chris HollinsPartner: Ola JordanAlso Starring: Martina Higgins, Richard Dunwoody, Rav Wilding, Lynda Bellingham, Joe Calzaghe, Jo Wood, Zoe Lucker, Craig Kelly, Phil Tufnell, Jade Johnson, Ricky Groves, Natalie Cassidy, Laila Rouass, Ali Bastian, Ricky Whittle (credit:BBC)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(08 of10)
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Series 8 / 2010Winner: Kara TointonPartner: Artem ChigvintsevAlso Starring: Goldie, Paul Daniels, Peter Shilton, Tina O'Brien, Jimi Mistry, Michelle Williams, Felicity Kendal, Patsy Kensit, Ann Widdecombe, Gavin Henson, Scott Maslen, Pamela Stephenson, Matt Baker (credit:PA)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(09 of10)
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Series 9 / 2011Winner: Harry JuddPartner: Aliona VilaniAlso Starring: Edwina Currie, Dan Lobb, Rory Bremner, Nancy Dell'Olio, Lulu, Audley Harrison, Russell Grant, Anita Dobson, Robbie Savage, Alex Jones, Holly Valance, Jason Donovan, Chelsee Healey (credit:PA)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(10 of10)
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Series 10 / 2012Winner: Louis SmithPartner: Flavia CacaceAlso Starring: Johnny Ball, Jerry Hall, Sid Owen, Colin Salmon, Fern Britton, Richard Arnold, Victoria Pendleton, Michael Vaughan, Nicky Byrne, Lisa Riley, Dani Harmer, Denise van Outen, Kimberley Walsh (credit:BBC)

Kaplinsky made a high-profile move to Channel 5 in February 2008 after becoming a household name presenting the BBC Six O'Clock News bulletin and hosting flagship events including 'Children In Need'.

Her debut immediately doubled the usual audience for Five News but just six weeks into the reported £1 million job she announced she was expecting a baby.

She eventually left the channel in 2010 after giving birth to her second child.

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