Sarah Ferguson's brilliant response when offered a spot on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing

Sarah Ferguson has revealed she was once approached to take part in the BBC's smash hit Strictly Come Dancing - but her answer was swift and decisive. The Duchess of York, 65, was sounded out for joining the celebrity line-up, a glittering gig that has seen politicians, pop stars and TV favourites don sequins and take to the dancefloor.

But while the programme remains one of Britain's most-watched shows, Fergie wasted no time in turning it down. According to an extremely well-placed source, Prince Andrew's ex-wife was even sounded out last year for the BBC's 20th anniversary series.

"There was an approach earlier this year," a TV insider confirmed. "It was turned down immediately and no discussions took place, as the Duchess doesn't consider reality TV offers."

The royal has long been a familiar face on British television and is known for her candid sense of humour her writing skills.

Despite her larger-than-life personality and easy charm, she admitted she wasn't ready to swap tiaras for tango shoes.

For Strictly Come Dancing bosses, who frequently target high-profile names to boost ratings, a royal contestant would have been a glittering coup - but Sarah's refusal has left them looking elsewhere.

Although the Duchess has shown little appetite for reality television, she is no stranger to the small screen.

Over the years, Sarah has made several lively appearances on talk shows and even tried her hand at presenting ITV's This Morning.

Back in 2023, she divided opinion during her guest stint, light-heartedly describing herself as the "fluff" while joining Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary on the famous sofa.

The Duchess also stepped onto the Loose Women panel as a special guest last summer, where she spoke openly about her life and experiences, winning both praise and criticism for her candour.

Strictly Come Dancing will return for its twenty-third series with a glittering launch show on 20 September 2025, followed by live episodes kicking off two weeks later on 27 September.

In April, professional favourites Amy Dowden, Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Nikita Kuzmin, Neil Jones, Gorka Marquez and Luba Mushtuk were all confirmed as part of the upcoming line-up.

This seasons celebrity contestants will also bring star power, with names including former England rugby captain, Good Morning Britain and Lorraine's Los Angeles correspondent Ross King, and reality star Dani Dyer set to dazzle under the glitterball.