'I reported from Iraq and Afghanistan for BBC – but that was nothing compared to Strictly'
Former BBC News presenter Kate Silverton has opened up about her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, admitting one part of the experience felt more "excruciating" than reporting from war zones
A former BBC News anchor has named the moment she felt "most vulnerable" on TV - and it had nothing to do with reporting from the likes of Afghanistan or Iraq.
Kate Silverton, 55, finished in eighth place on Strictly Come Dancing alongside professional dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec, 36. And Kate, who has since retrained as a child therapist, admits one aspect of the experience "felt excruciating".
Opening up to The Sun's Fabulous Magazine while reflecting on her varied career, Kate said: "The thing that's made me feel most vulnerable was taking part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2018.
"News was my home – I could rely on my intellect and think on my feet – but Strictly was a whole different ball game, and it was petrifying. I didn't have the confidence in my body or ability.
"One night before dancing live, I said: 'Is it normal for feet to sweat? !' I loved the training, but being out there in the ballroom often felt excruciating."
Kate had previously spoken out about her reasons for signing up to the popular dance competition, admitting she hoped to capitalise on the "profile" the show affords its participants to pursue her ambitions beyond journalism and release a parenting book, entitled There's No Such Thing As 'Naughty'.
She told Mark Wogan on his Spooning podcast in 2024: "I thought I could do Strictly and actually use the profile that Strictly gives me to do what I really wanted to do.
"So, I was working behind the scenes as a volunteer with a lot of children's charities anyway. I was working with families. So it was in my blood, as it were. And becoming a parent really inspired me to be learning more.
"And I was talking and interviewing lots of psychiatrists and neuroscientists and psychotherapists about, when you have a baby, is it meant to be this hard? So I was benefiting from all their advice.
"There was this whole shift going on. I really want to help share some of the wisdom that I've been gifted.
"So there was this whole thing, do Strictly, raise the profile for children's mental health and actually write the book. Because I felt compelled to write a book with all this advice and science that had been shared with me."
Kate departed the BBC in 2021 after 24 years with the corporation to pursue training as a child therapist.
Once her training was finished, she commenced work in primary schools supporting youngsters with additional and complex needs.
