Rylan Clark unexpectedly dropped out of his BBC Radio 2 show on Saturday (February 15), with Strictly star Ritchie Anderson stepping in.
Battling illness throughout the weekend, Rylan’s absence meant Richie stepped in, announcing to listeners: “The reason I’m in is because Rylan’s got the sniffles, apparently. However, our listeners disagree because he’s been spotted a lot out and about this week.”
Amidst the banter, one listener claimed to have seen Rylan trying to wash cars at traffic lights in Conwy, while another humorously suggested they’d seen him on a nudist beach in Cornwall.
Reacting to the playful comments on Instagram, Rylan simply stated “lies” and expressed gratitude for the support from his followers. Calls for Richie to secure his own Radio 2 slot were loud and clear, with fans praising him as “fab”.
One urged: “Radio 2 come on now give Ritchie his own show he’s fab! Would have been great in the weekend morning slots or weekday afternoons,” reports the Mirror.
Another fan praised Richie’s warmth and humour, suggesting he was the perfect stand-in for Rylan, while a third listener complimented the day’s broadcast: “Was a brilliant show today. Well done Ritchie – miss you at breakfast. Sally [Traffic] fab as always. Same time next week?”
Rylan has become a firm favourite on Radio 2 after launching his own programme in 2019. He last took some time off in September 2023 when his mum, Linda, had a nasty fall on holiday.
Taking to social media at the time, he explained: “My priority at the moment is my mum”. The incident left Rylan very worried as it happened during a holiday they both enjoyed together.
He provided an update on Twitter, sharing his concerns: “She’s not in the best health with her other conditions and this has made it more complicated”. He later revealed that his mum had recovered following surgery.
Rylan also spent some time away from the spotlight in 2021 following the confirmation of his split from husband Dan Neal, mentioning that their focus was “prioritising their mental health and looking after the ones they love the most”.
The former X Factor star confessed he was in a “bad place”, taking responsibility for the breakdown of the relationship.
He publicly addressed the situation regarding his marriage, saying: “Following reports about Dan and I spending time apart, I feel I have to speak out – as the way it is being reported is unfair. I have made a number of mistakes which I deeply regret and have inevitably led to the breakdown of our marriage.”
Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer