Ross King became visibly emotional as he was announced as the 13th contestant for Strictly Come Dancing 2025 during Friday morning's Lorraine show. The veteran broadcaster, who serves as Los Angeles correspondent for both Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, had tears in his eyes during the surprise live reveal.
The announcement featured an elaborate green screen trick that initially showed Ross appearing to broadcast from his familiar Hollywood backdrop. The screen suddenly disappeared to reveal he was actually in the Lorraine studio, ready to speak with presenter Ranvir Singh about his Strictly debut.
Emotional studio celebration
Studio crew spontaneously surrounded Ross with "10" signs whilst cheering him on as he made his way to the sofa. The genuine workplace affection and fanfare clearly overwhelmed the four-time News Emmy winner, who hugged an excited Ranvir Singh.
"Are you okay? Are you emotional?" Singh asked, to which Ross responded: "Oh, it's so lovely! I could just go back to LA now that was the best part!"
Mother's inspiration drives decision
Ross revealed his late mother's encouragement as the driving force behind accepting Strictly's invitation. "My dear old mum who used to always say 'you never know until you give it a go', that was her expression," he explained during the emotional interview.
The experienced broadcaster, who has hosted more than 30 television series since starting radio at 15 and television at 17, admitted he doesn't think he's "good enough" but wanted to embrace the challenge. He emphasised he's not leaving his current ITV roles to participate in the dancing competition.
Colleague support and humble expectations
Lorraine Kelly surprised Ross with a personal video message, calling him "twinkle toes" and expressing pride in his decision. "Hi Ross! Or should I say twinkle toes? Everything you do, you give it your all, and I cannot wait to see you on that dance floor. I can't wait to hear all the Strictly gossip, I'm so so proud of you. It's going to be amazing, and we are all right behind you. Team Ross!" Kelly said.
After Dr Amir showed him some dance moves, Ross set modest expectations for his Strictly journey. "Obviously, I'm never gonna win, but if I'm like the most improved, that's the bar I'm setting," he stated with characteristic humility.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Manchester Evening News", "Daily Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
