It might sound like he’s off his trolley but Ryan Clark-Neal says he feels the spirit of Dale Winton while filming Supermarket Sweep.
Dale, who died last year, aged 62, made the show a huge hit in the 1990s and Rylan has stepped into his shoes this month to host the ITV2 weeknight series.
Rylan, 30, said: “It was weird. There were certain moments doing the show when I could not help but think of him.
“I have a lot of Dale’s people working with me on the show and, although I can’t get Dale’s blessing, if they say I am doing a good job, that’s enough for me.”
On Wednesday’s show, one contestant even called Rylan “Dale”, which prompted a warm hug from the emotional host.
Rylan, married to ex-Big Brother star Dan Neal, also presents It Takes Two, the BBC’s Strictly spin-off, with Zoe Ball.
And he said he would rather stick to that than take to the Strictly dance floor.
“I have been asked to do it and there has always been a reason why I couldn’t.
"It seems like that reason has paid off because I was really always meant to host It Takes Two.”
The busy star will also front a new version of Ready Steady Cook next year but only after he checked with original hosts Ainsley Harriott and Fern Britton.
He said: “I called them. Fern was over the moon and Ainsley was so lovely to me. He said, ‘Make that show your own’.”
- It Takes Two is on BBC One for two weeks, 5.15pm, then BBC Two at 6.30pm, Mon-Thurs and 6pm Fridays.
