Johannes Radebe, Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe have been named as the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing, taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after an extensive search that drew in several major television personalities for screen tests.
The said the trio will front the next series when it launches in the autumn, with the show also welcoming back judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke. The presenting shake-up follows Daly and Winkleman’s exit from the dance competition last year, and comes after the broadcaster confirmed earlier this month that five of the programme’s professional dancers would not be returning.
Radebe said returning to Strictly in the new role was “beyond anything I ever imagined.” Willis, who described herself as a “huge fan of Strictly,” said stepping into the ballroom was something she “can’t quite comprehend.” Widdicombe said he was “giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed” to have been given the chance to step into “the biggest shoes in television.”
The audition process had become a talking point in its own right after Zoe Ball took part and later said she had gone through “the seven stages of grief and rejection” after learning she had missed out. That detail underlined how closely watched the ’s choice had become as it searched for a new on-screen identity for one of its most familiar entertainment shows.
What the broadcaster has settled on is a fresh presenting trio built around three very different names, but with the same job of carrying a format that still leans on its core formula. The judges are staying, 15 of the 20 dancers from last year will be back, and the newcomers will be joined by fresh top talent from the international dance world. The message is clear: Strictly is changing in front of the cameras, but the is betting the engine of the show remains strong enough to survive it.
For more on the move, see Johannes Radebe set for new Strictly Come Dancing hosting role with Emma Willis.
