BBC Strictly Come Dancing Nick Knowles 'begged to be on show because it's his last chance'

The DIY SOS star said he would not be able to compete if he 'left it any longer'

BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Nick Knowles has said he is taking part in this year's show because it is his 'last chance physically'. The DIY SOS star said he does not think he would be able to compete if he 'left it any longer'.

The 61-year-old said he 'begged' to be on the show after a Strictly and DIY SOS collaboration. The special episode saw his team build an all-ability drama and dance school in the North East.

Speaking about his reasons for taking part in this year's series, Knowles said: "I'm so old, if I left it any longer I wouldn't be able to. I think this is my last chance physically to be able to do it, so that was a good reason.

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"But because we did a Strictly and DIY SOS collaboration last year, built a place, an all-ability drama dance school up in the North East, I then begged Anton to get me on the show." Knowles' professional partner Luba Mushtuk said she had already danced with the Southall-born star on the set of the collaborative show.

She said: "I basically danced with him and he really enjoyed it, and so he wanted to be a part of Strictly. It's wonderful, he's a very knowledgeable man, he's very strong as well.

"It's still the beginning, but I think we're going to be a great team." Knowles said he thinks his DIY SOS team will 'rip' him for donning sequins and spray tan.

He said: "Because I've got two DIY specials to do, big builds to do during the course of this process, if I stay in longer, and when I turn up on site having worn sequins the night before with a spray tan, I don't think they're going to mention it, I think it's going to be easy. I'm going to get ripped, I'm going to get absolutely ripped.

"You know what my lads are like on SOS, they've spent 25 years taking the p*** out of me. Julian recently said to me, I had a cold and I had a beanie hat on, and he stood there looking at me for a little while, and he went "you'd be nothing without your hair".

"So that's the level of support that I'm looking to find from my building team. They're just going to rip into me, but they're also going to be super supportive as well. I know they are."