BBC bosses are reportedly considering three hosts as part of a plan to freshen up Strictly Come Dancing when it returns later this year
BBC bosses are reportedly considering three hosts as part of a plan to freshen up Strictly Come Dancing when it returns later this year. It’s thought “nothing is off the table” and that the network has whittled down its shortlist to seven names, with One Show host Alex Jones as frontrunner.
Other names in the running to replace Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly include Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, Alison Hammond, Angela Scanlon, Emma Willis and Fleur East, according to reports.
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A source told The Sun : “Alex is still very much the BBC’s favourite to land a hosting spot. The Beeb loves her and thinks she’d be perfect to take on Tess’s role on the floor.
“Talk recently has turned to whether they could bring in a third host to really freshen it up. Nothing is off the table when it comes to sprinkling new magic over Strictly.”
A decision supposedly won’t be made until the summer. A BBC spokesperson told The Mirror: “Plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course.”
It comes after a slew of favourites are reportedly leaving the show. It’s been claims that five professionals will not be returning to the our screens in a move that is said to have devastated the stars.
There has been much drama behind the scenes of the nation’s favourite dancing competition over the last few years, from the Giovanni Pernice ‘bullying’ row to Wynne Evans’ lewd remark s and a former star being arrested on suspicion of rape. There is no suggestion that any of the axed dancers were involved in any wrongdoing.
However, the shake up has been dubbed truly “brutal” by insiders, with those who have been sacked reportedly receiving very little warning about the major life change that was coming there way.
Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, is said to have unceremoniously been dropped from the cast this year, after joining only three years ago. It was then confirmed she wouldn’t be returning for the Strictly tour. The relative newcomer wrote a cryptic post on her social media profile over the weekend. “Strength isn’t about never breaking… it’s about finding the light again, even after the storm,” she said in a post for International Women’s Day.
In 2024, Michelle was paired up with actor Jamie Borthwick, but the Eastenders star got caught up in a storm of controversy after using a slur that is derogatory towards disabled people whilst on set of the show. He lost his job on the soap opera after the Beeb said his language was, “entirely unacceptable and in no way reflects the values or standards we hold and expect”. Jamie, who had starred on Eastenders since 2006, apologised at the time for “any offence and upset”.
Joining Michelle on the chopping block are Gorka Marquez, 35, Luba Mushtuk, 36 – both of whom have been part of the show for many years. Gorka even met his wife, Gemma Atkinson, on the dancing competition back in 2017. Luba has been part of the show since 2016, and has taken part in the some of the live tours across the UK, but is reported not to have been renewed.
Meanwhile, fan favourite Katya Jones, 36, was also rumoured to be facing the axe ahead of what is due to be her 10th year on the show. She was caught up in scandal back in 2018 when she was pictured kissing her celebrity partner, comedian Seann Walsh. He had a girlfriend at the time while she was married to long-term Strictly pro Neil Jones, who is not thought to be leaving. However, it was later claimed that bosses were ‘desperate’ to keep her because “they know how much viewers love her”.
Sadly, her co-star Karen Hauer, 43 was not given a stay of execution. The long-standing pro – who continued to star on the show after her marriage to fellow pro Kevin Clifton collapsed – will not be back in September. Pals of Karen have told the Mail that they think the move to axe her is “disgusting,” with an insider quoted as saying, “What message does it send?”
Nadiya Bychkova, 36 has also not had her contract renewed, with pals saying it “smacks of ageism” – but other insiders have claimed that this couldn’t be further from the truth, and it has been drama behind the scenes that have caused the BBC to decide not to renew her contract. Nadiya’s been left gutted by the decision, but its been claimed that the mother-of-one was “uncompromising” off screen and prone to tantrums.
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