Entertainment

Viewers call for full-time role for Gethin Jones after It Takes Two fill-in

Gethin Jones impressed Strictly fans with his dancing flare.
Gethin Jones impressed Strictly fans with his dancing flare. Gethin Jones impressed Strictly fans with his dancing flare.

Strictly Come Dancing fans have called for a permanent slot for presenter Gethin Jones after he filled in for Zoe Ball on spin-off show, It Takes Two.

Ball missed Wednesday night’s airing of the BBC Two show after falling ill with a stomach bug, just days before the BBC One competition heads to the glamorous Tower Ballroom in Blackpool.

Former The One Show host Jones, who has previously been on the programme and competed in Strictly several seasons ago, delighted audiences with his awkward dance demonstration with resident professional Ian Waite, as well as his interviews with remaining pairs Alexandra Burke and Gorka Marquez, Mollie King and AJ Pritchard and Davood Ghadami and Nadiya Bychkova.

“Gethin was fantastic. Can he stay permanently?” pleaded one viewer over Twitter.

Another wrote: “@ZoeTheBall get well soon missed you on ITT but Gethin did well and how funny to see him dancing with Ian!”

Another added: “Oh @ZoeTheBall love ya but these boys are great! Can we find a slot for Geth more often on dance demos.”

“Great job tonight Gethin it was a real laugh,” one commented. “You can see the camaraderie you have with the couples. Ian seemed to enjoy himself too.”

Joining him on the sofa, Pritchard promised some “impressive lifts” with his partner this weekend, but when he offered a demonstration, King quickly replied: “I think not.”

Meanwhile, Ghadami shared his excitement for his James Bond-inspired Paso Doble. Asked which actor’s 007 he would be channelling, he said he would be hinting towards a potential “future James Bond”.

:: Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One at 6.45pm on Saturday.