Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced in October that they will be leaving the show after 11 years of co-hosting
Bradley Walsh has broken his silence about potentially hosting Strictly Come Dancing next year. The Chase star is among the big names tipped to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman when they step away from hosting duties, after the current series.
The long-term presenting duo announced their exit back in October, leaving many, including the four judges and current competitors, blindsided. Since then, a number of famous names have been linked to the presenting roles.
According to The Sun, Bradley is set to take part in a chemistry screen test alongside, who could be his new co-star, Alex Jones.
Appearing on Scott Mills’ BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Friday, Bradley’s fellow guest Denise Welch pressed him about the speculation.
In response, The Chase host listed the many things he usually gets up to on weekends at this time of year, including tuning into Strictly. “I think if you do that gig, it’s going to ruin your weekend,” he claimed.
Chiming in, Denise said: “The trouble is, because he’s got that twinkle, I never believe Bradley Walsh whatever he says. So that could be a long-winded version of him saying I’m doing it.”
Scott went on to claim he had heard Bradley telling a team member that “it’s definitely him and Alex Jones”.
“Well, I’m seeing Alex today, later on,” the ITV star replied. “We’re doing The One Show.”
After former Strictly star Susan Calman, who was in the studio with him, described his admission as “curious,” Bradley quoted the show’s motto: “Keep dancing,” before adding: “Just trying to practise.”
Joking aside, the presenter said he has “absolutely no idea” about the rumours.
“I think it’s a big old commitment, I really do,” the 65-year-old continued. “It’s a few Fridays and Saturdays, it’s a great gig, it’s a great show.
“I’m very lucky because The Chase is filmed in the next room to Strictly, so sometimes we can hear the band playing. On a Friday, I can literally walk next door and have a sneaky look at some of the rehearsals going on.”
For now, Bradley remains focused on his packed schedule, fronting shows including ITV’s The Chase and BBC’s Blankety Blank.
As for Strictly, while many names have been suggested for the hosting roles, BBC Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips recently confirmed that no decisions will be made until next year.
Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, she said: “The production team, BBC Studios, and Executive Producer Sarah James and her team are concentrating on getting two shows out a week. We haven’t got time at the moment to start doing any screen tests or chemistry testing.
“I don’t think we’ll really be looking at it until the New Year because we want to make sure we deliver a great Strictly series.”
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final airs Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.
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