Strictly Come Dancing fans think they might have worked out which two presenters will replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
The names of the new hosts are still a mystery, but after recent filmed auditions, it’s believed the contenders have been whittled down to Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, Angela Scanlon and Emma Willis, with Bradley Walsh, Alison Hammond and Alex Jones also reportedly in the running.
Strictly sleuths have now noticed that two of these – former It Takes Two host Ball and Irish star Scanlon – excitedly replied to a recent post announcing this year’s line-up of professionals, and were the only ones out of the rumoured replacements to have done so.
“I noticed that they are the only ones from the rumoured 10 to be commenting on the post,” one fan wrote on X/Twitter.
Another added: “Would be two good choices as hosts. Zoe could fill the more serious role (although I still think Emma Willis would’ve been perfect for that, but won’t complain about Zoe) and Angela would fill the Claudia role very well.”
Former One Show host and BBC radio DJ Scanlon was a contestant on the 2023 series and finished in sixth place with dance partner Carlos Gu. She currently presents Apprentice aftershow You’re Fired – and last week was announced as Scott Mills’s replacement on this year’s Eurovision coverage.
Meanwhile, Ball has been considered a clear favourite and, earlier this month, she teased she had something “glamorous” coming up, stating: “Obviously at the moment I can’t say anything about it.”
The BBC told The Independent that plans for Strictly 2026 will be announced in due course, with preparations for the series underway.
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Ball said in January that she would “love” to host the show, but added that she had not spoken to the show’s bosses. “I will still be watching, whoever hosts,” she said, adding that Alan Carr, Amanda Holden, Vernon Kay and Clark could be strong replacements.
Strictly will look a little different this year, following a shake-up of the professionals cast. Gorka Marquez announced this week he had left the show after 10 years, which followed the exits of Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas.
It’s also been claimed that companion show It Takes Two will be refreshed to reflect changing audiences, much in the same way as happened with The Traitors: Uncloaked and The Apprentice: You’re Fired.
According to reports, the series will become a vodcast, meaning the hosts will film episodes for viewers and also record them for podcast listeners. It’s also been claimed that Janette Manrara and Fleur East will no longer present the show, but the BBC told The Independent last month: ”It is factually incorrect to claim that either has been axed.”
