Strictly Come Dancing star said 'you're going to have to fire me' over exit, claims co-star

Erin Boag - who has been Anton du Beke's professional dancer partner for nearly three decades - says the judge would have to be fired if he was to ever leave Strictly Come Dancing.

Anton du Beke would have to be "fired" if he ever left Strictly Come Dancing, according to his professional dancer partner Erin Boag.

The judge initially started on the programme as a professional dancer, before eventually moving over to the judging panel full-time after Bruno Tonioli's exit from the series. His dance partner Erin - who was also a former professional on Strictly - has revealed Anton would have to be fired by bosses if he was to ever leave the programme.

Erin revealed that Anton would have never left the show on his own and would have to be pushed out by bosses if they ever wanted him to leave as he loves the show so much. Speaking about his new position as a judge, she revealed why he's so good at his job.

Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Erin said: "He was never going to leave as a professional dancer. It was very much the, 'you're going to have to fire me', quite frankly. I think everyone was just waiting for him to get a different position, because he deserved it, for sure.

"He's very professional, he's great at talking, and he's just that, I don't think you could fire him, because I think people would turn off. That sounds really horrible, but I think they would, because he's such a great character on the show."

Erin also revealed his dancing background on the show only sets him up for more success as a judge.

"Professionally, what you have there is you have somebody who's been there for years, who has seen both sides, who knows what it's like to be danced with, somebody that's great, knows what it's like," she added.

"Even more so because he's been given - putting it nicely - the most challenging partners, more than anybody else. As Craig has said, 'I've given out 10 ones, and my time, and six of them were to you', probably with Ann Widdecombe...

"He is not only the most loved, and gains a lot of respect from the professionals, having been on both sides, having experienced what they've experienced. So he knows, as he's watching, if the professionals are in pain because their partner's forgotten their whole routine going around."

Erin went on to say that the professionals on the show really respect him because they know he's been through what they have.

During his time on the show, Anton was partnered with several huge stars including Ruth Langsford, Kate Garraway and Patsy Palmer, as well as Gillian Taylforth, Judy Murray and Jacqui Smith.

Strictly Come Dancing airs weekends on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.