Josh Widdicombe Reveals Extreme Fatigue and Stomach Issues After First Week Hosting Strictly

Josh Widdicombe, one of the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing, has revealed that he is experiencing extreme fatigue and stomach problems after his first week of filming the show. The comedian, 43, who is making his debut alongside Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe, described feeling "so tired" and "not very well" during an appearance on the "Parenting Hell" podcast with fellow comedian Rob Beckett.

Widdicombe shared intimate details about his physical discomfort, admitting to "stomach problems," frequent urges to urinate, constipation, and stomach pains. He speculated that he might have a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a similar ailment, concluding, "I am just f olyl olylcked."

He clarified that his exhaustion is not due to stress but rather the demanding schedule. "Full disclosure, we've done the launch show of Strictly on Wednesday," Widdicombe said. "It went well. The next day, I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life and I still don't feel like I've fully recovered."

His recovery was further complicated by a show in Dublin the following day, followed by a "full-on weekend of parenting." Widdicombe acknowledged that his autumn schedule is shaping up to be more intense than he had anticipated.

The new hosting trio of Widdicombe, Willis, and Radebe were announced in May, following the departures of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman in December. Producers have indicated that the new presenting team will not involve direct "like-for-like" replacements for their predecessors, with the format remaining open.

During a podcast appearance, Emma Willis explained that the production team is still exploring how the three hosts will interact. "We're having lots of production days where we go in and we play around and we're kind of feeling each other out – well, they're feeling us out really," she said. Widdicombe humorously likened their fluid roles to "total football," a tactical approach where players interchange positions. "It's going to be like total football, Richard. We're going to be moving everywhere," he quipped.

Willis also confirmed that Radebe would not be taking on a backstage reporter role, contrary to earlier speculation. The trio reportedly endured a rigorous four-month audition process, which was conducted with significant secrecy. Widdicombe revealed that show producers even invented a fake gardening show, "The Great Garden Glow Up," to conceal the true nature of the auditions from drivers and the public.

"We were told if the driver asked, he'd been told it was a show about gardening called The Great Garden Glow Up," Widdicombe recounted. Willis added that a new show name and concept were created specifically for the cab drivers. Widdicombe joked about the subterfuge, saying he would have questioned his agent if he knew the audition was for a gardening show. He also revealed that after auditioning separately, they participated in chemistry tests with various potential co-hosts before the final trio was formed. Some, like Zoe Ball and Sara Cox, were reportedly involved in the secret auditions but did not secure the hosting roles.

The producers themselves were reportedly uncertain about how a three-person hosting dynamic would work, describing the callback as a "wild card." Widdicombe expressed surprise when Radebe joined him and Willis for a chemistry test, as he had anticipated other well-known personalities might be in contention. "I'd say both of us thought that's a weird combo," he recalled, with Radebe agreeing, "There was a moment of that wasn't it?"

The three hosts received their official confirmation two weeks later. Willis humorously recalled receiving the confirmation call while sitting on the toilet at a hairdresser's, while Widdicombe was in a graveyard in Birmingham at the time.