Presenter Jeremy Vine is first Strictly celeb

Sequins and glitter may not be his usual choice of attire but BBC Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine will be wearing a lot of it after being announced as the first contestant for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.

The breaking news was announced on Monday morning (10 August) on BBC Radio Two’s The Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

Vine, 50, told listeners: “How could I say no to the biggest show in TV? Yes, yes, yes and yes again to the sequins and the Samba“, the 50-year-old said. “I’ve got to stop the dad dancing”, Jeremy told Chris.

Swinging Vine: Broadcaster Jeremy Vine and the Swingometer during the 2010 election He added: “Now I just need to find some dancing shoes and identify my left foot”.

While he is the first celebrity to be confirmed for the 2015 series, Jeremy told Chris that all the contestants had been given the names of Disney characters to keep their identity secret. It seems Dad on Strictly is more scary than Doctor Who!’ said Jeremy, 50.

Jeremy is no stranger to the cameras – he presents BBC1’s Points of View, the popular quiz show Eggheads and The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2.

Former Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton had been linked to the show, but last week she shot down the reports.

Last year’s competition was won by new Xtra Factor presenter Caroline Flack, who beat celebrities including Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge and EastEnders actor Jake Wood to win the glitterball trophy.

In a blog post published after the announcement, Vine divulged his reasons for joining the show, saying: “I truly, madly, deeply want to learn to dance. And I said, ‘oh Nemo” and they immediately knew who I was.