George Clarke has opened up about his upcoming stint on Strictly Come Dancing ahead of his ballroom debut this month.
Speaking to GB News and other press at the show’s press day earlier this month, the internet personality discussed training, the judges, and the reception he’s received since being unveiled as a contestant.
It’s not unusual for the Strictly Come Dancing line-up to face its fair share of scrutiny year after year, with dance fans always keen to see their favourite celebs take to the dancefloor.
However, when it came to Mr Clarke, it’s safe to say certain long-standing fans of the show were slightly dismayed with the appointment – especially those not well-versed in the world of online entertainment.
BBC Strictly: George Clarke is a famous YouTuber and online personality
Mr Clarke has millions of subscribers and fans across his online platforms, from YouTube to TikTok. He also attracts thousands of listeners to his own podcast, The Useless Hotline Podcast.
The 25-year-old started his journey to online stardom when he was a teen, and now, in 2025, he joins a long line of influencers and social media personalities to have joined the Strictly cast.
Mr Clarke follows in the footsteps of fellow YouTubers Joe Sugg and Saffron Barker in making it to the line-up. But despite the precedent set by the pair, Mr Clarke’s appointment still raised eyebrows.
In response to his unveiling, the Instagram announcement was littered with comments of people asking who Mr Clarke was, with some adding: “Never heard of him.”
BBC Strictly: George Clarke will compete on this year’s show
| BBC
Of course, thousands of Mr Clarke’s fans and followers countered the criticism, with excited reactions flooding in from younger fans and famous faces alike.
When asked by GB News how he’s found the reception he’s received since landing the role, Mr Clarke admitted he “expected” some to question his involvement.
“I feel like – look, I was expecting people to sort of give the whole, ‘Who?’ Because I’m from the online world,” Mr Clarke explained.
“But there will be people on the show who know who I am and not who other people are, that’s just the way it goes.
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“It’s just nice to be asked, isn’t it?” he quipped. “I’d love to say I was doing it to say I was upholding the YouTube world, but it’s just nice to be asked and come along and get involved.”
Mr Clarke’s co-star La Voix was part of the same roundtable and soon chipped in to encourage the YouTuber.
“It’s a testament to your generation because the YouTube thing is huge now,” the RuPaul’s Drag Race star said, before joking: “To get that recognition from primetime BBC is amazing. For me, as a minority – a redhead – it is nice to be asked!”
But when it comes to the live shows, is Mr Clarke nervous about impressing any of the judges, in particular? “I don’t think there’s anyone in particular that I’m worried about,” he coolly admitted.
BBC Strictly: George Clarke and the rest of the Strictly cast
| BBC
“I feel like I’m sort of looking at the whole experience as a challenge of how good at dancing I can get.
“So there’s no better way to get better at it than have a group of professionals who are just gonna give you feedback, granted some of it may cut a little bit deeper than others, but I’m welcoming it.”
BBC Strictly: George Clarke’s casting sparked quite the debate among fans on Instagram
Mr Clarke’s professional partner remains a mystery for now, and won’t be unveiled until Saturday’s launch show.
Whoever it turns out to be, their chances of lifting the Glitterball Trophy come the end of the series look promising, with Mr Clarke among the frontrunners with bookmakers for glory.
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