Janette Manrara Opens Up About 'Hardest Goodbye' Of Stepping Down As Strictly Pro For New Role

Janette Manrara has opened up about the transition from Strictly Come Dancing professional to host of spin-off series It Takes Two, admitting she’s finding it hard to comes to terms with no longer performing on the show.

Earlier this month, it was announced that Janette would not be appearing as a dancer on this year’s Strictly, having been with the show since 2013.

We’ll still be seeing plenty of her on our screens, though, as she’s set to succeed Zoe Ball as the host of companion show It Takes Two when it returns in the autumn.

Asked about her new role during an interview on Jeremy Vine’s Channel 5 show on Tuesday, Janette said: “I’m so excited, I’ve been a fan of Zoe Ball and It Takes Two since I joined Strictly nine years ago now.

“I remember walking into the studio and thinking ‘This is the best job in the world, you get to sit down and talk about dancing. I would love to do that some day’. So the day has come and I’m honestly so honoured and so excited.”

However, Janette’s excitement for her new role doesn’t mean she isn’t going to miss appearing with her former colleagues when Strictly begins again in the autumn.

“Unfortunately once you say goodbye to that legendary dance floor, you’ve said goodbye to the dance floor.

“I’ve said that it was the easiest yes to say ‘yes’ to doing It Takes Two but the hardest goodbye, the thought of having to say goodbye to the Strictly floor.”

“I’ve created some amazing memories,” she added. “And then the professionals, that is a whole other level of friendship, they are like my family here really, but I will get to see them either way.”

She later commented she would “try and sneak in somehow, in some shape or form, to be involved with the show dance-wise”.

Janette received the seal of approval of Zoe Ball after it was revealed she’d be taking over from It Takes Two, where it’s expected she’ll share presenting duties with Rylan Clark-Neal.

But she isn’t the only long-serving Strictly pro who’ll have a new job this time around.

Last week it was confirmed that Anton Du Beke was finally being made a full-time judge, as Bruno Tonioli will be unable to join his fellow panellists due to travel restrictions.