Rylan Clark-Neal – 13 quirky facts about the Strictly It Takes Two presenter
RYLAN Clark-Neal has transformed from an X Factor contestant to a highly sought after presenter since competing in the singing competition back in 2012.
The telly personality is currently co-hosting Strictly: It takes Two - but here are some fun facts you might not have known about him...
1) He got dropped from Big Brother in 2007
It seems that Rylan Clark-Neal could have been on British telly screens a lot earlier than when he shot to fame, as he applied for Big Brother 8 in 2007 and his application was successful.
But in a twist of fate, the reality wannabe was booted from the line-up at the last minute.
He revealed: “The day I was going in, it got taken away from me because it got leaked to the press. It was devastating.”
2) Rylan is naturally ginger
During a segment on Loose Women in July, Rylan revealed that he was a natural redhead before he started dying his hair.
He looked virtually unrecognisable in the throwback snaps he shared, and he had a good laugh with the panellists as they teased him about dying his pubic hair.
The former X Factor contestant revealed he had red hair up until his teenage years when he started dying his barnet different colours.
3) He used to model
Rylan’s career could’ve taken a very different career path, as he worked as a model in 2011.
He appeared on Sky Living show Signed by Katie Price, where he finished in second place behind Amy Willerton.
Since the series finished, Rylan and Pricey have stayed close mates and they often appear on telly together.
4) He had a singing career before The X Factor
Just like many other X Factor contestants, Rylan Clark-Neal actually did have some experience as a singer before the show.
In Ibiza, he performed in several Take That and Westlife tribute acts.
He also entertained holidaymakers by performing as a part of a Spanish boyband, 4Bidden.
5) Dermot O’Leary predicted Rylan would make it
Rylan was such a Big Brother fan in 2001, that he threw clothes pegs over the wall with Brian Dowling’s name on – only to be caught on camera by Dermot O’Leary.
In his bestselling autobiography, he revealed: “Dermot was speaking directly to us and it was the most exciting feeling, but we carried on running.
“Little did I know that eleven years later he would be standing by my side on one of the most amazing journeys of my life and, not only that, that I would be doing his exact job twelve years later. Crazy . . .”
6) He can cook a great burger
Rylan proved that he wasn’t just a pretty face when he appeared on BBC One’s Celebrity Masterchef competition.
Fans couldn’t believe their eyes when he whipped up countless tasty meals for judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
One of his most stunning dishes was a gourmet replica of a McDonald’s happy meal, which went down a storm in the Masterchef kitchen.
7) He’s tried his hand at acting
If modelling, cooking and hosting weren’t enough strings to his bow, Rylan has even dabbled in the world of acting.
In 2014, he had a cameo in Sky 1 comedy show Stella, where he performed to the girls during a night out at the local nightclub.
8) He has a bizarre toilet habit
Last October, Rylan baffled fans with some unexpected toilet talk during an appearance on Matt Edmonson’s Radio 1 show.
The 30-year-old joined his Xtra Factor co-host for a discussion on weird habits – with Rylan confessing to only being able to take a number two while completely starkers.
After taking a call from a viewer who revealed their obsession with sniffing tea bags, Rylan said: “If I go to the toilet, for not a wee, I have to be completely naked – not even a sock!”
9) He took a break from This Morning for his mental health
The popular presenter left fans devastated in December 2017 when he announced he would be going on hiatus from the show in the New Year of 2018.
In an exclusive interview backstage on his nightly Channel 5 show Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit On The Side, Rylan tells me: “I got a load of s*** when I had a break from This Morning after five years.
“I’m really missing being there but I just need time to myself. People think there’s an ulterior motive and there’s not.
“I just needed a break for my head, for my body, for my peace of mind."
On March 1, 2018, Rylan revealed he would be returning to This Morning permanently.
10) He’s desperate to be a dad
Rylan married his long-term love, ex-police officer Dan Neal in 2015 and the pair have settled into married life.
Dan has a 17-year-old son called Cameron, and Rylan jokes he feels like a “proper dad” with his hubby’s son.
He told The Sun: “I’ve turned into a proper dad and I even tell him off.
“He’s got three parking tickets in the last week so I’ve been screaming at him down the phone.”
He’s also said: “I look at him like he’s my own. He can talk to me – I’m Dad, but he can talk to me about sex!
“I’ll say, 'As long as you’re being safe!' If that was Dan, he’d be like, 'Stop it, Dad!'.”
And he admits he’s been feeling broody for some kids of his own for a while.
He recently opened up on This Morning about an elaborate pregnancy dream. He told hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes: “I bet it was lovely to be pregnant, I bet you enjoyed it. I’d love to be pregnant.”
He continued: “You know how broody I am. I once had a dream that I was pregnant and I just had that feeling like ‘Ooo, it’s heavy.’”
11) He's had work done
Rylan admits he's had plastic surgery and says it's nothing to be embarrassed about.
He told The Sun: “I’ve had bits and bobs done over the years.
“If you’re unhappy with something and in a position to change it, then why not?
“Look at Katie Price! She’s had about a million boob jobs and nobody should judge her for that.”
But he says that having surgery is not a cure-all for people who already have body issues. He revealed: “I’ll never feel confident about the way I look, but I’ve come to terms with that.”
12) He's very tall
Rylan stands at a whopping 6ft 4 inches tall.
That's 76 inches. 194 centimetres.
That makes him nine inches taller than co-presenter Emma Willis, six inches taller than Phillip Schofield and eight and a half inches taller than Holly Willoughby.
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13) He had a Big Brother diary room built in his house
In February 2019 Rylan gave his fans a sneak peek into his home and revealed that he has his very own Big Brother diary room during a live stream.
Speaking about his new space, he said: "It's my new favourite room in my house.
"We all know how much I'm obsessed by Big Brother and I have nothing better to do with my time so I built a diary room.
"It looks quite like the diary room as well - which is quite exciting?!"
The room comes equipped with an LED button in the shape of Big Brother's eye, an automated sliding door and the actual Diary Room chair from his 2013 winning Celebrity Big Brother appearance.