Layton Williams 'quits role on BBC reality show' amid leaderboard-topping Strictly success

Layton Williams 'quits role on BBC reality show' amid leaderboard-topping Strictly success

WATCH NOW: Layton Williams breaks Strictly record with Cha Cha

BBC
Alex Davies

By Alex Davies


Published: 26/10/2023

- 11:13

Updated: 27/10/2023

- 13:28

The 29-year-old has been wowing audiences of late on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing

Strictly star Layton Williams has confirmed he will not be returning to his role as narrator on one of the BBC's biggest dating shows.

Williams - who recently hit back at Strictly critics over his dance background - provided his vocal talents to the Dannii Minogue-led dating show I Kissed A Boy but has now explained why he wouldn't be back for a second run.


The show's debut series followed an all-male line-up of singletons as they took on the show's litany of challenges in the hopes of finding love.

Series two comes with the new title of I Kissed A Girl and this time around will offer an all-female line-up of singletons the chance to find 'the one'.

Williams has now reportedly revealed that he feels it's only right that a female star provide the narration for the upcoming series.

“We are now wrapped on I Kissed A Girl," Williams said. "I will not be voicing that one because I'm not a lesbian.

Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin

Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin perform on Strictly

BBC

"But I just want to say I'm so proud to have been part of this beautiful show," he reportedly added to the Sun.

Minogue will be back on the BBC Three show, however, and said of the format shift: "After showing love truly is for everyone with I Kissed A Boy, I am thrilled to have the chance to be Cupid again for girls in this second series.

"I’m so excited to see if we can find more connections, chemistry and hopefully love sealed with a kiss. Here come the girls," she added, with a release date expected to arrive either later this year or in early 2024.

In the meantime, Williams will remain a regular feature on Strictly for now after consistently landing himself near the top of the leaderboard week after week.

Williams almost landed a clean sweep of 10s this past weekend after he and Nikita Kuzmin blew the judges away with their Salsa with Craig Revel Horwood the only judge to opt for the nine paddle.

He's already bagged a spot in the Strictly history books after receiving the earliest score of a 10 for a Cha Cha ever thanks to Motsi Mabuse.

However, his time on the BBC dance show hasn't been without its hardships, with Williams admitting the newfound attention he's garnered has led to fear for his own safety and mental wellbeing.

Williams admitted he often asked TV bosses for "more money" when working on shows in order to attend therapy sessions to ensure his mental health is looked after.

Dannii Minogue

Dannii Minogue presents I Kissed A Boy

BBC

He'll be back on the dance floor this coming weekend as he and Kuzmin perform the Tango to Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo as part of Halloween Week.

It's been quite the week for Strictly bosses who've not only had to deal with the backlash from fans to this week's dance and song choices but also say goodbye to Amanda Abbington.

The Sherlock star revealed in her heartfelt exit statement that she was quitting the show for "personal reasons".

Abbington has since been inundated with support from her Strictly co-stars with pro partner Giovanni Pernice penning a touching tribute to the actor.

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