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Strictly star Kelvin Fletcher reveals shock truth behind being called up as a replacement on the show

The Strictly winner replaced Jamie Laing after he injured his leg

strictly kelvin fletcher shock truth about show
Hanna Fillingham
US Managing Editor
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Strictly Come Dancing winner Kelvin Fletcher was an incredible last-minute addition to the BBC One dance show, having been called in as a replacement for Jamie Laing after he injured his leg. And on Tuesday during an interview on BBC Breakfast with his dance partner Oti Mabuse, the former Emmerdale actor revealed that the show's bosses called him up to see if he wanted to be on the programme, and gave him just an hour to decide whether to accept the offer. What's more, they didn't tell him that he would be replacing Jamie. He said: "I had an hour or so to make a decision, they couldn't tell me too much, they didn't tell it was Jamie who had the unfortunate incident, and naturally, one would say it's the best show on TV where do I need to go?" Oti also explained that she didn't know whether she would be given a replacement and that she was waiting to find out for several days. She said: "In that time no one knew whether I was going to have a partner or not, it was just a waiting game and behold!"

strictly kelvin fletcher shock truth about show

Strictly star Kelvin Fletcher revealed he was given just a few hours to decide whether he wanted to be on the show

Watch Kelvin and Oti talk to HELLO!

During the interview, Kelvin and Oti also reflected on the moment they found out they had won the 2019 series of Strictly Come Dancing. The dad-of-two said: "You don't really expect that, it's just the complete disbelief when your name is read out the absolute disbelief. I think I looked to Oti and went off her reaction, I don't think I heard our names being read out and I saw Oti almost collapse." Kelvin and Oti were up against Amy Dowden and Karim Zeroual, and Anton du Beke and Emma Barton, who all congratulated the couple on their win.

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Kelvin and his dance partner Oti Mabuse were crowned the Strictly winners on Saturday night

Since the Strictly final, Kelvin has been enjoying being back home with his family and spending quality time with his wife Eliza Marsland and their two young children, Marnie, three, and Milo, one. On Tuesday, the doting dad took his little girl to a nail bar to get a manicure, and shared a sweet photo of her sitting in the salon chair waiting for her nails to dry. The star is planning on making up for the lost time he was away from them during Strictly training by taking them on holiday in the next few days. The actor told HELLO! about his sweet plan just after being handed the Glitterball trophy on Saturday. "I'm going on holiday next week with my family for just a few days," the 35-year-old shared. "I've felt a little bit guilty being away from them so I definitely want to take them away and just see them and hold them."

READ: Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford undergo dramatic transformation

Asked how he would be celebrating his win, he revealed: "I'm going to go and cuddle my wife, cuddle my mum and dad and my brothers are here. I think I need five minutes just to take stock really. It still feels just so surreal, and when you don't expect something and it happens it's just really quite hard to take. I wish I had more words in my vocabulary to explain how I feel."

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