Former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls has been confirmed as the first celebrity in the Strictly Come Dancing line-up this year
Former MP and shadow chancellor Ed Balls revealed he was 'scared to death' after being announced as the first confirmed contestant for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Balls' participation was confirmed on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, on which he said: “I'd like to say I'm just really excited about learning to dance on TV, but the truth is I'm also scared to death. Making a speech in Parliament seems a piece of cake compared to this, but hopefully I can stick around for a couple of weeks, and have a lot of fun in the process.
"Strictly is a firm favourite in our living room, and it feels like a dream to be going on myself, especially for Len's last series. I'm just hoping it doesn't turn into a nightmare too quickly!”
Balls, 49, was the Shadow Chancellor from 2011-2015, where he lost his seat in the General Election. Before that he served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.
Since leaving Parliament, Ed became a visiting professor of King's College London, a Senior Fellow at Harvard University, and was appointed Chairman of his hometown football club Norwich City.
Earlier this year, he appeared on The Great Sport Relief Bake Off.
Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC1 in September.
