Emmys 2013: Cat Deeley on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’

Cat Deeley is superstitious. If she was going to be nominated for serving as host on Fox’s popular reality TV competition, “So You Think You Can Dance,� she wanted to hear the news from her husband, not a publicist or a manager.

“So my husband rang me this morning and said, ‘I‘m very proud of you, and don‘t I have a clever wife,’� said Deeley, who is flying to New York City on Friday morning for a friend’s wedding.

“There will be big celebrations there and when we get back to L.A.,� said Deeley, her English accent touched with enthusiasm. “Watch out, New York! This weekend the Big Apple might not be big enough for all of us — we go hard.�

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Deeley plays hard, but she also works hard, and audiences can tell. But she hopes they can also tell how much she loves hosting the show.

“Even if you mess up, drop the mic or fall over -- if you handle it with grace and charm, it really endears you to the audience,� she says. “And it’s not a job, I’m doing what I love.�

Audiences have responded positively thus far, and it seems they will likely continue to do so into the indefinite future.

“We’re currently in season 10, and we’ve always been a slightly niche show,� Deeley said. “You wonder, ‘Have we run our course? Are we still relevant?’ and then you go to the auditions and there are kids who are 18 and have been watching since they were 9.�

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That means something to Deeley.

“We’re still relevant in the dance community,� she says. “We’ve never had an audience as big as ‘Idol’ and we probably never will, because singing is a much more broad category. But dance is taken really seriously and our core audience is so passionate. And that’s the secret to our longevity.�

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