Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly’s presenter husband Vernon Kay has revealed his unlikely connection to “brilliant” show contestant Layton Williams.

Layton, 29, and his professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin have been wowing BBC viewers with their routines on this year’s series.

In an interview with Radio Times, when Vernon, 49, was asked who he thought would win Strictly this year, he threw Layton in the mix and revealed their past association with each other.

“Ellie Leach is terrific and I love watching Krishnan Guru-Murthy, but it’s got to be Bobby Brazier,” he began.

“He’s like a cross between Harry Styles and Mick Jagger. Handsome fella. I’m thrilled for him and his dad, Jeff.

“He’s done a brilliant job with the boys and should be proud as Punch.”

The BBC Radio host continued: “And Layton Williams is brilliant. Years ago, when he was a teenager, we did ballet together on The Paul O’Grady Show. He learnt it all from me, obviously!”

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Layton has consistently dazzled the judges with his dancing, and while he has topped the leaderboard, his scores have generally been lower than expected, which he believes is due to him being penalised due to West End history.

Layton, who is best known for playing Stephen Carmichael in the BBC series Bad Education, first shot to fame when he appeared in the West End theatre production of Billy Elliot.

Anton began with a positive remark, telling Layton: “It’s extraordinary what you do”.

He went on to add: “I am watching a Jive as well, so I have to watch the Jive part a lot more closely and your Jive kicks forward and backwards were exceptional, the side ones were a bit loose.

“And towards the end, it got a little heavy, I thought, in the Jive kicks.”

Anton’s criticism was met with boos from the studio audience, to which he insisted he “had to be honest”.