Natalie Lowe thinks Anton Du Beke should have been Strictly head judge

Natalie Lowe thinks Anton Du Beke should have been head judge on \'Strictly Come Dancing\'.

The professional dancer - who quit the show this year - has admitted she\'s devastated that her friend and former colleague lost out on the role to Shirley Ballas as she was convinced he would\'ve been the perfect person to take over the reins from Len Goodman, who left at the end of last year.

The 37-year-old dancer told the Express Online: "I would have liked to have seen Anton there, I think that would have been awesome. But it\'s nice to have a Latin expert on the panel."

Shirley joins returning judges Darcey Bussell, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood and the dancer, although, who was rooting for Anton, said the talented choreographer is the "right person for this role".

She said: "She is absolutely one million per cent the right person for this role. However, obviously I love Len and it\'s going to be a very different dynamic.

"I can\'t honestly tell you how she\'s going to work on the panel because, you know, TV changes people. People are telling me you\'ll either like her or not.

"I\'m not sure how she\'s going to play it and I\'m not sure how she\'s going to be, but I do believe she is so credible and if she\'s going to give someone a comment, you know that comment is like, yup.

"She\'s the best person for the role."

Natalie decided to leave the ballroom latin competition show after seven years and is set to start on her own programme \'Rip It Up\' alongside former \'Strictly\' champions Jay McGuinness and Louis Smith.

She said: "We\'re showing off the amazing music and era and dance and feel and flare of the 1950s.

"We\'re doing a Buddy Holly section, an Elvis section; and the amazing thing is we\'re taking people on a journey so they can see all the old 1950s clips of just how they lived, in the adverts, which you know is like \'oh my God\'.

"It\'s so cool how this show\'s been produced, I just think it\'s awesome."