Strictly Come Dancing star Dan Walker on his love for the 'mighty' Crawley Town Football Club and reaction to council applying for city status
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The 44-year-old BBC Breakfast presenter grew up in Crawley and went to school at Three Bridges Primary and Hazelwick schools.
And he was back in town to visit his old primary school as part of this week's Strictly Come Dancing schedule. He and Nadiya were joined on the assembly hall stage by dancing children as they prepared for this week's School Disco-themed performance.
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Hide AdThe pair are doing a Cha Cha Ca to MC Hammer's You Can't This. It promises to be a fun dance.
While at the school, the pair took time out to speak to the Crawley Observer and Dan spoke about his love for Crawley Town and how he used to watch them with his dad.
He said: "I haven't bored Nadiya with Crawley Town stories, not sure she is ready for that yet.
"But as a kid growing up watching Crawley play non league football all the time, just to have them in League football is great
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Hide Ad"I used to watch them at Town Mead, which was at the back of a car park for the local coach company.
"Every Saturday I would stand there with my dad cheering on with about 500 people.
"We were really a lower league non-league team and now we are in League Two."
And how impressed is he with how they are doing now? "If Crawley are outside the relegation zone I am happy,' he said.
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Hide Ad"That’s perfect for me, but I know John [Yems] and the guys want to push on. We had season in League One which was amazing. Maybe if if we become a city that will change but I am happy with where they are. Super proud we are still in League Two."
Dan now lives in Sheffield so chances to watch the Reds are few and far between. He said: "I always try and watch a couple of games a season. I stopped doing Football Focus this year as that was always a difficulty because the vast majority of games I would have been working.
"I have taken my kids to watch Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United a couple of times it would be lovely to take them when Crawley are further North. It would be lovely to take them to watch the Mighty Reds. Maybe I should take you [to Nadiya] to a game one day."
And Dan, who still has friends and family in the town, was delighted with the news this week Crawley Borough Council are exploring the possibility of applying for City Status.
He said: "That would be a step up, the City of Crawley. That would be a huge step up because Crawley was set up as a New Town and constructed as a commuter town for London. Crawley City, wow."