Vernon Kay has a clear candidate for the floor, a star whom he described as “probably the funniest presenter” he has worked with, as well as a suggestion for the person “upstairs”
Vernon Kay has put forward two potential BBC co-stars to replace his wife, Tess Daly, and Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing. In a shock mid-season announcement last October, the hosts revealed their intention to depart from the BBC show, with their final appearance on the Strictly special on Christmas Day 2025.
Since then, speculation has been rife regarding their possible successors, with names like Holly Willoughby, Zoe Ball, Roman Kemp, Alan Carr, Bradley Walsh, and Emma Willis all thrown into the mix.
For Vernon, however, there’s a clear candidate for the floor, a Welsh star who he described as “probably the funniest presenter” he has worked with, and he even put forward a suggestion for the person “upstairs”.
Speaking in a recent interview, when asked if he had any suggestions for who might replace the beloved presenters, Vernon told Metro Scotland: “Alex Jones should be on the floor. She is probably the funniest presenter I’ve worked with.
“With the formalities of The One Show, I don’t think she gives the audience the opportunity to see her funny and irreverent side. She’d be perfect because she is one of the best in a live TV scenario. Absolutely brilliant.
“If they pick anyone but Alex, that person has to, literally, be made of liquid gold. Then upstairs, someone who knows the show better than most…Rylan.”
A more than 15-year live broadcast veteran on BBC’s The One Show, Alex, in addition to Vernon himself, has presented alongside the likes of Jason Manford, Matt Baker, and Ronan Keating.
Meanwhile, BBC Radio 2 star Rylan Clark is known for such shows as Dating Naked UK and Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour. He previously hosted sister show Strictly: It Takes Two, but left in 2023.
In the aftermath of their announcement, Tess and Claudia took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message that reflected upon their time on the show, saying they “loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream”.
It also signalled the end of an astonishing 21-year journey for Tess, who, alongside Claudia, remarked that they were “always going to leave together” and that they felt it was the “right time”.
Tess wrote on Instagram: “After 21 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing. It’s hard to put into words what this show has meant to me, so here goes..
“Strictly has been more than just a television programme. It’s felt like having a third child, a second family, and a huge part of my life since that very first show back in 2004. I knew then it was something special, but I could never have imagined the magic it would bring.
“Strictly has always been about joy, celebration, and bringing people together – and I’m so proud to have played a small part in something that continues to mean so much to so many.”
You can next catch Vernon on Do You Know Your Place? on BBC Two tonight (February 24), from 6.30pm to 7pm.
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