Comedian Josh Widdicombe is well-known for his appearance on The Last Leg. However, viewers will see him in a new light this year as he’s taking to the ballroom.
The festive special will see Josh compete alongside the likes of Vogue Williams, Tamzin Outhwaite and Billy Monger. Other stars hoping to raise the trophy include Tayce and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.
During the special, Josh will be partnered with professional dancer Karen Haur. Speaking about taking part in the show, the comedian said: “I am utterly terrified this will end in humiliation and worried I’m going to be so bad I will ruin Christmas for the nation. Why have I done this?”
While viewers will have to wait and see who will be crowned the winner of this year’s festive spectacular, we’ve taken a look into the star’s life away from the spotlight.
Although showbiz success isn’t restricted to Josh alone as his wife Rose Hanson, is also in the television world as a seasoned producer. Rose has played a pivotal role in delivering comedic treasures such as 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Live at the Apollo.
Inside Strictly star Josh Widdicombe’s life from famous wife to family heartbreak (Image: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
Since exchanging vows in 2019, Rose has been showcasing her broad range of talents with past endeavours including research work for the legendary Never Mind the Buzzcocks and production assistance alongside stars like Alan Carr on Chatty Man and on Would I Lie To You?
For those who have ever cherished the nostalgia of Rainbow’s puppetry from the 80s, the brains behind the adored puppet Zippy was none other than Rose’s own mother, proving that the entertainment streak truly runs through her veins, reports .
While chatting with Rob Brydon on his podcast, Josh shared an intriguing story about the deep connection between his career and family life.
He confessed: “I’d be lying if I said that hadn’t crossed my mind at points in the sense there’s an obvious comparison to be made.
Josh and Rose share two children together, with the comedian discussing his life as a dad as part of his Parenting Hell podcast (Image: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
“And then the thought of your mum creating a fictional character that you then, not end up marrying, but if there’s a movie and it turned out that Zippy had been made into a human, and then it was me, it wouldn’t be outlandish.”
Josh and Rose have been married for six years and are parents to two adorable children their daughter Pearl, born in October 2017, and son Cassius, arrived in May 2021.
The comedian has been open about their parenting journey on his podcast Parenting Hell, which he co-hosts with fellow comedian Rob Beckett.
In one touching episode of the podcast, he revealed the pain he and Rose went through due to a miscarriage. He said: “The reason I haven’t spoken about it is because when Rose was pregnant which came after the miscarriage, you feel like – I know this sounds mad – but you don’t want to tempt fate.”
Josh has been married to Rose Hanson since 2019 (Image: Belinda Jiao/Getty Images)
Josh delved into the anxiety that comes after experiencing a loss, remarking: “When you’re pregnant after a miscarriage, every day feels perilous, like it could go wrong in the way you just don’t feel before.”
Additionally, on the podcast, Josh candidly discussed his journey to sobriety and earlier this year, he took to to celebrate one year alcohol-free. The TV star humorously noted his choice to commemorate the milestone with some introspection on social media.
In part of the caption, he wrote: “I tried for years to drink in moderation but it was never in my skill set, so I don’t miss a glass of wine with lunch or dinner as I have never had that in my life without wanting to have ten more. If you are looking to stop drinking my advice to chat to people you know that have stopped about how they did it, that is what I did. If you don’t want to stop drinking then can I recommend Ibiza.”
The Christmas special will air on One and iPlayer on Christmas Day at 3:55pm.