Susanna Reid criticizes Strictly Come Dancing for not recruiting a Love Island star sooner

Susanna Reid has criticized Strictly Come Dancing for its casting choices, a decade after it appeared on the BBC show.

The 52-year-old GMB host and her professional dance partner Kevin Clifton finished runner-up to winners Abbey Clancy and Aljaž Škorjanec during the 2013 grand final.

And now, Susanna has called the show a ‘snob’ for not recruiting someone from Love Island sooner.

It comes after MailOnline exclusively revealed that Zara McDermott will become the first Love Island contestant to appear on Strictly.

While presenting Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, Susanna was discussing the news with co-host Ed Ball when she said: ‘It’s a bit of a snobbish ban, isn’t it? Don’t let the love islanders in.

Making history: It comes after MailOnline revealed that Zara McDermott will become the first Love Island contestant to appear on Strictly

Documentary filmmaker Zara, who is one of the BBC’s rising stars, will sign on in the coming days after holding talks with the producers of the dance show for a few weeks.

Bosses believe that having Zara, 26, on the show will attract more young people to watch the show and give her the opportunity to further her career with the station.

It is unlikely that she is a victim of the infamous strict curse because she is dating Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson, 30, with whom she has starred on the E4 show.

The influencer has a huge following on social media after rising to fame on Love Island in 2018 and competing on The X Factor: Celebrity the following year, performing for Simon Cowell on the ITV series.

Since then, Zara’s audience has grown, with the star amassing over 1.7 million followers, as she continues to team up with boyfriend and TV host Sam on TikTok and Instagram videos, which often feature the couple showing off their dance moves.

A Strictly source told MailOnline: “Zara is the perfect firm for Strictly, not only is she beautiful and glamorous, but she’s also hardworking and will take her part on the show very seriously.”

“She loved the experience of making documentaries and is delighted to further her relationship with the BBC by signing up with Strictly.”

“It’s a dream come true for her and becoming the first former Love Island star to do so is the icing on the cake.”

Throwback: The 52-year-old GMB host and her professional dance partner Kevin Clifton finished second to winners Abbey Clancy and Aljaž Škorjanec during the 2013 grand final (2013 pictured)

Talent: Zara has presented several documentaries for BBC Three, including her experience with revenge porn and the rise of eating disorders among teenagers.

The BBC has so far not recruited anyone who rose to fame on Love Island to compete for the Glitterball trophy, but they believe that due to her focus on documentary filmmaking, Zara fits the bill.

Zara has presented several documentaries for BBC Three, including her experience with revenge porn and the rise of eating disorders among teenagers, both of which are themes that resonate with her young fanbase.

Sam and Zara, who have been together since 2019, hope to challenge the infamous Strictly curse, which has ended the relationships of several former contestants.

The couple had their issues during the early stages of their romance, when Zara admitted to cheating on Sam in 2019 with music boss Brahim Fouradi during their time on X Factor: Celebrity.

Their dramatic breakup was filmed for Made In Chelsea, where Zara was captured begging for Sam’s forgiveness.

But since they got back together, they are now stronger than ever and entertain their social media followers with hilarious videos.

Before finding fame on Love Island, where she met her ex-boyfriend Adam Collard, Zara worked as a policy advisor for the Department of Education.

Partner: She’s unlikely to be a victim of the infamous Strict Curse because she’s dating Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson, who she starred with on the E4 show.

Since then, he has presented his own BBC Three documentaries which also include Uncovering Rape Culture, as well as the dating show Love in the Flesh.

Zara joins TV presenter Angela Scanlon, who hosts BBC Two’s Your Home Made Perfect, and former EastEnders actor Nigel Harman on this year’s lineup.

Loose Women star Sophie Morgan has also reportedly signed on, becoming the show’s first wheelchair-bound contestant.

In last year’s competition, wildlife videographer Hamza Yassin won the show along with professional dancer Jowita Przystal.