Who is Dancing On Ice star Radzi Chinyanganya? Everything you need to know about Blue Peter presenter
3 January 2020, 11:52
The Blue Peter presenter was announced as Michael Barrymore's replacement after he suffered a devastating injury before Christmas - but not everyone will be familiar with him...
Radzi Chinyanganya is best known for his work presenting Blue Peter and Canonball - and now he'll be taking part in Dancing On Ice.
Here's all we know about the sports-mad star...
Who is Radzi Chinyanganya and where is he from?
Radzi is 32-years-old and was born in Wolverhampton in the Midlands. He is of Scottish and Zimbabwean descent, and according to Wikipedia, is a practising Catholic.
He studied at Loughborough University, and it was here he developed his passion for presenting through his involvement in the establishment's TV and radio stations.
What other programmes has Radzi Chinyanganya presented?
Radzi has really grafted to get where he is today, entering several find a presenter competitions over the years and working his way up the ladder.
This is how he came to present the weightlifting for the 2012 Olympics, impressing bosses and being asked back to work on the Paralympics. In 2018 he went to Pyeongchang to present the Winter Olympics with the BBC.
You may also recognise him from kids' TV. In 2013 he joined Blue Peter as Helen Skelton's replacement, presented CBBC's Match of the Day Kickabout, and Wild.
He has also appeared as a contestant on Pointless Celebrities... and won!
Who did Radzi Chinyanganya replace on Dancing On Ice?
Just weeks after the Dancing On Ice lineup was announced, Michael Barrymore was forced to withdraw from the competition, and Radzi was revealed as his replacement.
The 67-year-old said he was "absolutely devastated" about having to pull out, later thanking the public for their "overwhelming support".
In a statement, he said: "Shortly after shooting the Dancing On Ice Christmas Special I took a tumble whilst rehearsing for the January shows.
"After the fall, I thought I had sprained my wrist but it turns out that it is broken. Unfortunately, the medics have told me that I cannot compete.
"I am absolutely devastated; I have loved every second of the journey so far with my wonderful dance partner Alex Murphy and the support from the public has been overwhelming."
