Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe have been announced as the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing, taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after their departure last year. The said the trio will become the first permanent three-presenter line-up in the show’s history.
Willis said she was a huge fan of the dance contest and could not quite comprehend stepping into the Strictly ballroom. Widdicombe said he was giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed at being handed what he called the biggest shoes in television. Radebe, who has been part of the Strictly family for eight years, said returning in a new role was beyond anything he had ever imagined.
The choice ended an extensive audition process that included screen tests with several major TV personalities. Zoe Ball took part and later said she had worked through “the seven stages of grief and rejection” after missing out. The has now locked in a line-up that mixes mainstream presenting, comedy and one of the show’s best-known dance names as it prepares for the new series in the autumn.
Sarah James said the combination was “unexpected, but their magic was undeniable the moment they came together”. She said Willis brought “a wealth of presenting experience and a natural warmth”, while Widdicombe “had us all in stitches with his unique style of self-deprecating humour and razor-sharp wit”. Radebe, she said, was “a one-of-a-kind talent who's been a beloved part of the Strictly family for eight years and will bring all his experience and knowledge to this new role”.
Kate Phillips added that “Emma, Johannes and Josh's chemistry is undeniable” and said there had been “so much speculation and hype” that she was relieved to share the news at last. She also said “the most beloved ballroom in the UK always leads the way, and in a Strictly first we have chosen three outstanding hosts to take up the mantel”.
The changes come as Strictly reshapes other parts of the show. Earlier this month, the confirmed that five of the programme’s professional dancers would not return. Fifteen of the 20 dancers from last year will be back, and they will be joined by fresh top talent from the international dance world. Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will all return when the new series launches in the autumn.
For the, the decision signals a clear break with the familiar format that carried Strictly for years. For viewers, it puts three very different public faces at the centre of one of the broadcaster’s biggest entertainment brands, and leaves the next series to prove that the gamble on an unprecedented presenting trio can work on screen as well as it did in the audition room.
