Comedian Ronnie Corbett has stepped into Bruce Forsyth's shoes on Strictly Come Dancing after flu floored the veteran host.
The BBC said co-host Tess Daly would front the show alone but had promised viewers a surprise.
All was revealed when the show started and Corbett trotted down the stairs, nearly tripping in his excitement.
Forsyth, who is recovering at his home in Virginia Water, Surrey, has never missed an episode of the popular ballroom dancing contest which is now in its seventh series.
Daly, who towered over Corbett, asked: "Have you been sent to keep an eye on us?"
Corbett copied Forsyth's catchphrase "Nice to see you, to see you nice".
He claimed Forsyth had phoned him at 10pm last night and asked him to step in, making fun of his own stature when he added: "If anyone can help out at short notice, it's me."
He said he would stay in touch with Forsyth throughout the show and after the first contestant, cricketer Phil Tufnell, performed, Corbett joked that Forsyth had said his lifts should be "higher, higher" - one of his Play Your Cards Right catchphrases.
