Strictly Come Dancing pro Anton Du Beke has confirmed he would love to replace Darcey Bussell on the judging panel.
Speaking to Graham Norton on BBC Radio 2, the veteran dancer says he is 'certainly qualified' to fill the space left by the former ballerina, but insisted he will wait until he's asked 'in the normal way.'
Darcey confirmed she had quit Strictly on Wednesday after seven years on the judging panel, and bookies have so far tipped Oti Mabuse as the favourite to replace her.
I'll do it! Strictly Come Dancing pro Anton Du Beke has said he would be open to replacing Darcey Bussell on the judging panel
Anton told Graham: 'Do you know what? I'm certainly qualified.
'I suspect there'll be conversations going on, but it's one of those things... I'm definitely qualified to do it, I'd love to do it, but we'll have to wait to be asked in the normal way.
'I wish I could make the decision for them, but if I could do that I'd have made the final 12 times.'
Departing: Speaking on BBC Radio 2 , the veteran dancer says he is 'certainly qualified' to fill the space left by the former ballerina, after she quit the show on Wednesday
When asked he knew Darcey was planning to leave the show, the dancer added: 'No, not at all.
'I didn't know that Pasha was going to leave, that was a bolt out the blue as well. He never mentioned anything last year. Apparently, he never mentioned anything to Ashley [Roberts], his partner, either.
'And Darcey, exactly the same. Absolutely out of the blue.'
Shocked: Anton also admitted that Darcey's announcement came 'out of the blue,' amid reports the Strictly cast and crew are backing him to take over as judge
This comes after it was reported that Strictly cast
