Anton Du Beke has hinted that he would like to become a permanent fixture on the judging panel rather than appearing on the dance floor.
The pro dancer, 54, who stepped in for judge Motsi Mabuse last week, said he ‘doesn’t like to compete now’ that he’s getting older in an interview with The Mirror.
It comes amid claims that Bruno Tonioli is ‘worried’ about his spot on the show after missing the latest season and being concerned that ‘viewers will forget about him’.
His next role? Anton Du Beke has hinted that he would like to become a permanent fixture on the judging panel rather than appearing on the dance floor (pictured on last week’s show)
Anton has won over viewers with his constructive critique on the judging panel after filling in last weekend when Motsi had to self-isolate following a trip to Germany.
And it appears that taster has encouraged Anton to think about trying to get a more permanent position alongside Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood.
He told The Mirror: ‘As I’ve got older, I don’t like to compete now, funnily enough. If I’m playing against somebody in golf then I like that…
‘I don’t want to be that competitive any more. “I’m like, If you win then I don’t mind” I’ve been down that road.’
‘Worried’: Judge Bruno Tonioli is said to be concerned that viewers will ‘forget about him’ and be more taken with Anton while he’s in America filming Dancing With The Stars (pictured on the US show)
The reports come amid claims that judge Bruno Tonioli, 65, is also questioning his place on the hit dancing show.
Bruno is currently in America after jetting to the US to film Dancing With The Stars and being unable to return for the UK show due to coronavirus restrictions.
A source told the Sun on Sunday: ‘Bruno feels a bit out of the loop with the UK show and even though he hasn’t been able to film it this year, it’s really important to him.
‘He has told pals he is worried about viewers preferring Anton and forgetting about him.’
Hanging up his dancing shoes? Anton was partnered with Jacqui Smith on the latest season, but has reportedly said that he ‘doesn’t like to compete’ now that he is older
MailOnline has contacted Anton and Bruno’s representatives. A spokesperson for Strictly Come Dancing has also been contacted.
It comes after Craig Revel Horwood put Anton in his place on Strictly on Saturday night, after the dancer booed him while he was giving critique.
The judge was midway through giving Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse feedback on their Jive, when Anton showed his disagreement of the dance being a ‘bit stompy’ by booing from the sidelines.
Smiling, Craig, 55, quipped: ‘Sorry Anton but you’re no longer up here’, in reference to the dancer filling in for fellow judge Motsi Mabuse for the last two weeks.
Funny: Craig Revel-Horwood put Anton in his place on Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday night, after the dancer booed him while he was giving critique
Bill, 55, and Oti, 30, jived to One Way or Another by 80s group, Blondie and Craig didn’t hold back when it was his turn to cast an opinion on the performance.
Hearing Anton’s jeers, Craig said: ‘Is that Anton booing from the cheap seats, darling?’, laughing host Tess Daly said: ‘He wasn’t on his own’.
Craig added: ‘Sorry Anton but you’re no longer up here’, to which he received a chorus of boos, and joked: ‘That’s more like it!’.
Boo: The judge was midway through giving Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse feedback on their Jive, when Anton, 54, showed his disagreement of the dance being a ‘bit stompy’ by booing
Ruthless: Bill, 55, and Oti, 30, jived to One Way or Another by 80s group, Blondie and Craig didn’t hold back when it was his turn to cast an opinion on the performance
Entertaining: Hearing Anton’s jeers, Craig said: ‘Is that Anton booing from the cheap seats, darling?’, laughing host Tess Daly said: ‘He wasn’t on his own’
Viewers took to Twitter following the playful interaction, with fans urging bosses to give Anton a permanent place on the panel.
One wrote: ‘COME ON, STRICTLY!!! Everyone KNOWS they’re a perfect team. Now let Anton get back up there. We love him and we love Craig. How long are you going to keep us waiting!!!!’
Another chimed: ‘Watch out Craig…we want Anton to judge the final! Sad Bruno not able to be part of it but come on BBC Anton to judge the final please!!’ , while a third added: ‘Ooooh! Someone’s feeling insecure about his role as a judge!’
A fourth said: ‘ Dear Suits in charge of Strictly ….. Could you PLEASE take note of what the public wants (read the tweets), and put Anton on the judging panel?’
Villain: Craig added: ‘Sorry Anton but you’re no longer up here’, to which he received a chorus of boos, and joked: ‘That’s more like it!’
‘We want Anton!’: Viewers took to Twitter following the playful interaction, with fans urging bosses to give Anton a permanent place on the panel
Anton was over the moon when he was asked to step in as a guest judge after Motsi was forced to self-isolate for two weeks following an emergency trip to Germany.
The dancer revealed his wife Hannah Summers, 45, burst into tears after he got the call to fill in on the judging panel, joking she wanted him ‘out of the house’.
Sharing his wife’s emotional reaction, he said: ‘Hannah bless her burst into tears. It was so lovely.
‘I think she was delighted to get me out the house! I picked great weeks to judge because everyone did really, really well.’
Good effort: Bill and Oti ended up getting a score of 24 out of 30, placing them in the middle of the leaderboard