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Fleur East took over hosting It Takes Two from Rylan Clark in 2024 (Image: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing presenter  Fleur East has opened up about the “unique” advice Rylan Clark gave when he stepped back from hosting It Takes Two.

The beloved It Takes Two host – who is set to host the National Lottery’s New Year’s Eve Big Bash at the OVO Wembley Arena – competed on the BBC ballroom series back in 2022 alongside her co-star Vito Coppola.

In 2023, she went on to join the nationwide tour of the BBC ballroom competition and became a doting mum to her first child Nova one year later.

This year, the mum-of-one took over as co-host on the BBC spin-off show after Rylan stepped back from the programme after four years.

Now, in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, the brunette beauty has shared the powerful piece of advice the former Big Brother host gave her before taking over the reins.

The presenter stepped back from the show after four years (Image: BBC)

She told us: “He said, ‘Just lean into the unique position you’re in because the one benefit for you is that you’ve been on the show so straight away you can identify with every celeb that’s going to sit on that sofa and talk to you’.

“And I think that was a good point that he put across to me because in my head I was like, ‘Okay, I’m doing this as a host so I need to step into his shoes in that sense.

“But when he presented me with that perspective I was like, ‘Yeah, that makes sense’. Because now when I sit on that sofa, immediately I know exactly what the celebs will be going through based on the dance they have and based on the week it is.”

She went on to share how she supported this year’s finalists as they trained for their final routines. Fleur went on: “For example, when it was leading up to the final, I remember what it was like being a celeb in the competition and having to learn three dances.

“Even the little things like hearing the VT just before you dance and getting emotional, things like that. So, it’s been nice to be able to advise them as well as talk to them and just relate to them”.

Fleur East hosted the National Lottery’s New Year’s Eve Big Bash (Image: National Lottery )

The Hits radio presenter went on to lift the lid on some of the show’s best kept secrets. Fleur revealed that the star-studded judging panel get to watch the contestants perform during the dress rehearsals hours before competing on the live show.

She explained: “I think they see the dress run on the day, but that’s the only thing they get to see ahead of time.” The former X Factor star reflected on what it was like to follow the show as a presenter rather than as a contestant.

Fleur went on: “I do miss the performance side of it, like I loved dancing in the ballroom on a Saturday night. I missed that element of being in the competition.

“But I do love now being able to just watch all of it happen and see the magic come to like. What I enjoyed most is seeing all the rehearsal and training footage before the live show.

“It’s one of my most favourite things, because we get to see everything before the live show on Saturday, before anyone else sees it. And being a big fan of the show, it’s just really fun.”