Brits music icon says she'd love to do Strictly but gets 'rejected every year by producers'
The singer, who rose to fame in the early 80s on the Eurovision Song Contest, revealed that BBC bosses have rejected her proposal to star on the show multiple times.
UK Eurovision icon Cheryl Baker has revealed that she would love to participate in Strictly Come Dancing but she gets turned down by the producers every year. The 71-year-old singer, who was born Rita Maria Stroud, won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the UK's pop group entry, Bucks Fizz, which she was a member of.
However, it seems that the pop group's memorable win still isn't enough to get Cheryl Baker onto that Strictly Come Dancing ballroom floor. Cheryl still performs in the band alongside OG member Jay Aston and newcomers Nikk Mager and Matthew Pateman, but the group are now known as The Fizz instead.
Speaking exclusively to Slingo, the singer revealed she's been repeatedly turned down for the BBC One reality series, despite regularly throwing her name into the ring. She also revealed that she had put herself forward for this year's Celebrity Traitors but was left 'gutted' to discover she was too late and the star studded cast had already been selected.
While Cheryl has made her eagerness to dip her toes into reality TV pretty clear, also saying she'd 'love' a go on I'm A Celebrity, she has ruled out a return to Eurovision, despite insisting the group are now 'vocally stronger'.
Formerly known as Bucks Fizz, the band were victorious in the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest Final with their song Making Your Mind Up.
Their big win over 44 years ago comes as the second last time the UK have won the annual singing contest since.
Britain have not been successful in Eurovision in the contest since 1997, when Katrina & The Waves came out on top with their song Love Shine A Light.
During a conversation with Slingo, Cheryl was asked about her reality TV ambitions.
She said: 'I'd love to do Strictly. I always put myself up for it every year, and they always say no, which is a great shame. I love dancing - I'm not a trained dancer, but I love dancing.
"I would love to go do I'm A Celebrity - I would love that. I would also love to do Traitors. When I knew there was going to be a celebrity one, I contacted my agent and said, 'Get me on it!'
"When she told me that they'd already cast it, I was gutted. I can't wait to see it, but I'd do any of them."
Cheryl continued: "That's the way TV has gone. If you don't want to be on any of those shows, it really limits you to what you can do, because that's what's on TV now.
"I miss Top of the Pops - I wish they'd bring it back. All the young artists now, they've got a televisual platform to show how good they are.'
However, when questioned on a Eurovision return, she was not so keen.
When asked if she'd ever go back on the contest, she said: " I mean, we've got our two new guys, they're great singers and if the cameras are far enough away… I'd hate for them to do camera close ups of Jay and I, and go, they're getting on a bit!
"I feel vocally we're stronger now than we have been for years, because there's four of us and the boys are tremendous but I don't think we could do Eurovision again.
'We've carried on and had lots of gigs, working with Mike and Jay and now with Matthew [Pateman] and Nikk [Majer] as four. There are certain gigs that haven't employed us because we're not officially Bucks Fizz but we're really good!"
Cheryl, 71, added: "We haven't done a Let's Rock for years, we used to do it as The Original Bucks Fizz, but because we're called The Fizz now, I'm guessing that's probably the reason we don't get to do it.
"We do lots of other festivals and 80s weekends. It's great fun, I love it. They all chant and at the end we get them to sing 'A Land Of Make Believe' and they all sing it on their own, all the musicians cut out. I love it, what's not to love? It's such a boost to your ego!'
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