Amanda Holden has denied rumours she’ll be the new host of Strictly Come Dancing – but said the current list of contenders, including Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond, is “boring”.
After Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced their departure from the show in 2025, many names were thrown into the ring, including Holden and her travel presenting companion, Alan Carr.
But the presenter and DJ said she has her plate too full with her duties on ITV juggernaut Britain’s Got Talent, which she’s been a judge on since 2007, to take on the hosting role as it “takes up too many weekends”.
Holden told MailOnline: “You see, I am already part of a big show, and I’ll happily carry on watching Strictly from the comfort of my lounge.”
Addressing the show’s weekend broadcasts, she added: “I’ve got to remember that I have children and a husband.” Holden has been married to Chris Hughes since 2008, and the couple have two daughters: Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 13.
While male presenters Bradley Walsh, Rylan and Roman Kemp are reportedly in the running, Holden is adamant that the BBC should hire two women to replace Daly and Winkleman – and urged the corporation to “think outside the box”.
“There are so many people and women in our industry without getting too political who have put all the work in, all the hours in, who deserve a bloody break, so often when I see lots of names attached to it, I think, ‘Boring, boring, boring.’ They’re all brilliant people, but you go, ‘Oh come on, think outside the box’.”
Holden continued: “They need somebody super funny, and somebody that you wouldn’t expect.”
She suggested comedian Katherine Ryan and comic actor Daisy May Cooper, but also threw her support behind two other strong contenders: Alex Jones and Zoe Ball.
“I quite like the idea of Alex Jones as well. She does The One Show and is a very good anchor and has a dry sense of humour, and I don’t see her enough. She’s not been overlooked, but you don’t see enough of her on TV. She would be a really good choice.”
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She added: “I love Zoe Ball in that sort of anchor role and then I think somebody should take a chance on a comedian, go and search Edinburgh Festival.”
Daly and Winkleman presented their final Strictly series in 2025. Daly had hosted the series for 21 years, while Winkleman joined as co-presenter on the main show in 2014, having previously hosted the Sunday night results show.
“We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream,” the pair said in a statement. “We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.”
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