The BBC are rumoured to have asked Alesha Dixon to stand in as presenter of this years Strictly Come Dancing to cover for pregnant Tess Daly.

Dixon won the show in 2007 and has seen her career grow from strength to strength ever since. Bosses are hoping that her presence on the show will help recapture some if the younger audience which seemed to defect to X Factor during the last series.

A BBC source told The Mirror: “Alesha is one of Strictly’s most popular winners and very much part of the Strictly ‘family’.

“Bosses hope that she will help give the show a bit of a shake-up alongside Bruce Forsyth.

“They have been keen for her to have a role on the show for some time but so far have struggled to find an opportunity to bring her in.

“But Tess’s pregnancy is the perfect opening.”

The source added: “Execs will be watching the audience reaction closely. But in talks they have told Alesha that if this proves successful then they see her as part of the future of the series in the longer term.”

Here’s hoping she replaces Daly on a permanent basis then, I never could warm to her or her smarmy hubby on screen.