Strictly Come Dancing 2023 contestant Krishnan-Guru Murthy has admitted he joined the BBC's flagship show partly in order to keep up with his "hot wife" after realising he had gotten out of shape.

The Channel 4 News lead presenter admitted that he came to the include he was "overweight and unattractive" on his 53rd birthday back in April, and resolved to do something about it.

Meanwhile, he described how his wife Lisa was "looking hot" following a fitness transformation that saw her running ten miles every other day and joining a rowing club.

This gave Krishnan the motivation he needed to lose two-and-a-half stone over the course of a few months, dropping from 15 stone to 12st 7lbs.

The star also finally agreed to join Strictly, after ignoring requests to appear on the show for years, with a view to continuing his fitness journey.

Asked if he felt insecure about his appearance, he told MailOnline: "'Yes, definitely. And I think that's not necessarily a bad thing if men pull themselves together because their wives are looking hotter than they are - if you get in that situation where all the women are looking good and all the men are overweight and beer bellies."

He also acknowledged that there was "the great fear" that his wife could leave him for a younger man if he stopped putting an effort into his appearance.

The journalist went on to share: "My wife is enjoying that I am a little bit lighter than I was.

"In a way, I have been trying to keep up with her. She's amazing and so I think she's pleased I have started catching and pulling myself together, getting fitter and looking a bit more presentable.

"I am a bit obsessed with being overweight and unattractive," he added. "My wife has never talked in those terms but she has always talked about me being healthy.

"I think you get yourself into a position where you give up and think it's fine. I just reached that stage."

The star then insisted: "Men are being led by women; women did it first. Women in their 50s are looking amazing and my wife and her friends are all looking amazing, so men have become insecure about having hot wives."

This week Krishnan and his dance partner Lauren Oakley will be taking on the Foxtrot, performing to the Billy Ocean classic Love Really Hurts Without You.

Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight at 6.20pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.