Krishnan Guru-Murthy turned down a rock icon to prioritise Strictly Come Dancing! (Picture: BBC/Getty)
When Krishnan Guru-Murthy says he’s giving his all to Strictly Come Dancing, he truly means it.
The iconic newsreader actually snubbed a rock icon because he wanted to prioritise dance rehearsals with pro Lauren Oakley, 32 – you can’t tell us he isn’t dedicated!
Yep, the Channel 4 broadcaster, 53, was due to interview none other than U2 in Las Vegas, but he couldn’t justify the long-haul flight and missing out on those valuable hours in the rehearsal room.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, the journalist spilled on the celebs and former Strictly stars who have been in touch throughout the series with advice and good luck wishes.
‘After we did our first dance, Apache Indian, whose track that was, said, “I wish you’d asked me to come and sing it, I would have come and performed!”
‘Lots of people who’ve done Strictly before have been in touch, people like Jason Donovan, Ed Balls, and Rob Rinder.’
Krishan and his pro partner Lauren Oakley train for many hours a week (Picture: PA)
However, none have quite been on the level of U2, after Bono and The Edge sent a video message to Krishnan and Lauren during a break from their juggernaut Vegas residency at the £1.8billion Sphere arena.
‘That’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me, ever,’ said Lauren, joking that her life has ‘peaked’ now.
On how that came about, Krishnan explained: ‘I was asked to go and interview them in Las Vegas last week, but I couldn’t because I was training.’
‘You should have said, “Only if I can take Lauren and train over there”,’ Lauren quipped.
‘Well, I did actually say, “I would have to take Lauren!” and dance in the Sphere,’ said Krishnan.
‘But it just wasn’t gonna work because it would mean 20 hours on a plane and that’s just too much.’
Sadly, this means he wasn’t able to travel to Las Vegas to interview U2! (Picture: PA)
Bono and The Edge sent the pair a ‘good luck’ message (Picture: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage)
‘We need the training time!’, Lauren added.
‘Yeah, unbelievably, I turned down U2,’ Krishnan declared – wow!
The TV presenter has spoken openly about the positive effects Strictly has had on his life – even if it has meant missing out on interviews with rockstars!
Despite previous health anxieties and, quite literally, asking his cardiologist if he might ‘drop dead live on BBC One’, Krishan has now assured he’s never felt better.
‘I’m feeling great. You get fitter as each week goes on. Everything hurts, I have lots of aches and pains, but that’s just a sign that you’re working hard, you feel quite good if you wake up aching because that means you did something yesterday,’ he said.
Dance star Lauren then teased: ‘That’s the sign of a real dancer, when you enjoy your aches and pains!’
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‘In terms of all those worries, no, nothing! I feel younger, I feel thinner, and lighter, I’ve literally just punched another hole in my belt because my belt is too big! And that’s good!’
Krishnan believes Strictly has changed his mentality towards life too.
‘I’ve been telling everyone that it does feel genuinely life-changing, and I never understood that before when I heard Strictly people say that. I just thought that was nonsense, but it really is,’ he shared.
‘I need to start writing it down because I’m trying to think about why I feel the way I feel and how I can hold on to that when all of this is over because it does give you a different perspective on life.’
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday and Sunday on BBC One and iPlayer.
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