Camilla To Hang Up Her Shoes

Camilla Dallerup will not be returning for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing.

She told the News Of The World that she wants to go out at the top: “I need to give other things a go before I settle down and have a family. Winning the show was just the icing on the cake. I’ve always been told to leave a party when you’re having a good time.”

Although Camilla would love to sit behind the judges' desk: “As a dancer on the show it’s my time to say, ‘thank you very much’. But I’d love to be one of the judges. It would be great to be on the other side. I’ve been through it all—the ups, the downs, the rollickings. I think I have what it takes. I don’t want to be the new Arlene. It would just be good to have another woman on the panel. I would be able to tell people they danced badly in a constructive way.”

Camilla is well-loved, having been with the programme since the start. It will be sad to see her depart, but I can understand her reasons. And with constant mumblings that the producers want to bring in more new dancers, it seems a sensible time to think about moving on.

I wonder where this will leave Ian Waite. Will the producers keep him on without a partner? Obviously not having a pertner on the show is not necessarily a barrier, as Brendan, Karen and Matthew would be able to testify. I hope Ian is able to stay if he wants to. It would be sad if they used Camilla's departure as a way of getting rid of him.