Olivia Dean admits she wasn’t sure about ‘Man I Need’ and explains her Strictly fit

Marvin Humes stepped into his new role on Hits Radio yesterday afternoon with an energetic first show, opening with an exclusive interview with Olivia Dean. It already feels like 2026 belongs to Dean. After a rapid rise, the "Man I Need" artist recently took over the BRIT Awards, winning four awards including British Artist of the Year and British Album of the Year for The Art of Loving. Even with her current success, Dean admitted to Humes that her biggest track nearly never saw the light of day.

During the open conversation, Dean shared that her UK Number 1 song "Man I Need" was not originally planned as a lead single. "I wasn't sure about it," she admitted. "I thought it was a little bit different."

It was her touring band who helped shift her perspective during rehearsals, encouraging her to reconsider. "Some of my band were like, ‘This one’s good, you know,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah.’ I didn’t know if it was representative of the whole album and the story, but I’m glad I followed through with that one."

Away from music, Dean also revealed she has been learning something new, taking up Salsa dancing. She said she started it as a way to have something "completely separate" from her career, though she did not completely rule out bringing it into her creative work. When Humes asked if fans might see it in a music video, she hinted, "Never say never."

The topic then shifted to television, where her new dance skills could come into play. When asked about the possibility of joining Strictly Come Dancing, Dean sounded genuinely interested, replying: "I actually would... I actually would!"

That said, she made it clear there is one show she is not interested in. Despite Humes having taken part in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, Dean quickly shut down the idea of appearing there, giving a firm "No" to Bushtucker Trials. For now, she seems more than content staying on the dance floor instead of facing jungle challenges.