TV presenter Graham Norton has defended his new show Strictly Dance Fever after it was blasted by broadcasting veteran Terry Wogan.

Wogan said the BBC were "beating an idea to death" by creating yet another Strictly Come Dancing spin-off.

"Bless him," Norton said at the launch of the BBC1 Saturday night show.

"He might have a point there, I don't know. We have to wait and see. But to me it feels different enough."

Strictly Dance Fever features members of the public rather than celebrities. Viewers will see them audition in Pop Idol-style heats.

"We're not doing Strictly Come Dancing. We have regular people this time," Norton said.

"What's nice about it is these people can do something. You can't just turn up and show off, you have to have ability.

"Yes, obviously everyone in the show wants to be on TV, but they've all been to dance classes since they were kids."

Radio 2 DJ Wogan also accused BBC bosses of giving Norton the show because "they don't know what else to do with him". The Irish comic was poached from Channel 4 in a reported £3.5 million deal but has scarcely been seen on the channel.

Norton insisted he was enthusiastic about Strictly Dance Fever.

"The very first meeting we had at the BBC, this show was pitched and I said I wanted to do it," he said.

Norton added: "The people who auditioned were all shapes and sizes. Some were just amazing. Some you wouldn't trust pushing a shopping trolley."