Vincent Simone backs Strictly Come Dancing to air for at least another 10 years

Vincent Simone expects Strictly Come Dancing to air for at least another decade.

The 46-year-old dancer featured on the BBC’s Saturday night staple – which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year – between 2006 and 2012 and believes that the programme’s immense popularity will see it remain on screens for a long time to come.

Vincent exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “I think it will carry on for at least another 10 years. I mean, I don’t see why not.

“We meet all the Strictly fans who come and see our own shows and they just love it too much. It’s the best excuse to get together, families or friends, a bunch of ladies, and they just gossip about the show, they just get entertained from amazing dancing or, you know, fit celebrities.

“There is everything in that show and every year you have the variety because you get 16 new celebrities joining the show so it’s going to be fresh. You can’t say, ‘Oh it’s always the same thing’, yes, they might do the same dances but every person is so individual, especially when they have character and personality.

“It’s an amazing show. I can’t see it ever ending but I will say at least another 10 years just by meeting the fans at the stage door afterwards, they’re just obsessed with the show. They will always watch it, no matter what.”

Vincent felt the time was right to leave Strictly when he announced his departure in 2013 but revealed that he would be open to a return to the programme, particularly after watching his friend Ian Waite thrive on Dancing with the Stars – the Australian version of the show.

The Italian star said: “When I left, I thought that was the right time. I was super busy and it go the point where it was seven years in a row, it got to the point where I just needed a change. I did get my change with West End shows and so many other things.

“I think now with age, like Ian is taking part in the Australian version. He loves it, he’s doing really well. When you watch him dancing with these celebrities on the Australian version you think, ‘Oh my gosh’. For me, because he’s my friend, but for me he still has it. He could easily be on Strictly the UK version and I like to think that I could do the same because I could bring my personality and my dancing.

“So I wouldn’t mind that as a challenge at some point.”

Vincent will appear with ex-Strictly pros Ian Waite, James Jordan, Brendan Cole and Pasha Kovalev in The Return of the Legends tour this autumn and revealed that the shows will be bigger and better than last year’s sell-out tour.

He said: “We’ve got a semi-new show coming up and we’re all looking forward to it because obviously it’s been nearly a year. It will be nice to be back all together and come out bigger than last year.

“We’re also gonna have our solos which for me personally are the most special numbers in the show, when each individual couple gets the stage on their own and for me that’s just magic. Everybody has the chance to showcase their talent and their own style of dance. I’ll be doing my Argentine Tangos, Ian will be doing his beautiful ballroom dances and Pasha, the Latin king, will be doing his Samba numbers and so on.”

The Return of the Legends tours nationwide from 5th September until 17th October: https://www.legendsofthedancefloor.com/