BBC confirms new Strictly Come Dancing hosts
Just nowSteven McIntoshEntertainment reporter
BBCTV presenter Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe have been announced as the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing.
The BBC confirmed the trio will replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who left the dance competition last year.
Willis said she was a “huge fan” of the show, adding: “To be stepping into the Strictly ballroom is something I can’t quite comprehend.”
Widdicombe said he was “giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television”.
Strictly pro Radebe said: “To be returning to Strictly Come Dancing in this new role is beyond anything I ever imagined.”
It marks the first time that Strictly has had three permanent presenters, although Sir Bruce Forsyth shared presenting duties with Winkleman in his later years on the show.
Strictly’s executive producer Sarah James said the new combination was “unexpected, but their magic was undeniable the moment they came together”.
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James said Willis brings “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”.
She described Radebe as “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”.
The announcement comes after an extensive audition process that saw several major TV personalities take part in screen tests.
Presenters who took part in the process included Zoe Ball, who later said she had worked through “the seven stages of grief and rejection” after being told she had missed out.
Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will all return to the new series when it launches in the autumn.
However, five of the show’s pro dancers will not be returning, the BBC confirmed earlier this month
Fifteen of the 20 dancers from last year will be back, but they will be “joined by fresh top talent from the international dance world”, the BBC said.
Kate Phillips, the BBC’s chief content officer, said: “Emma, Johannes and Josh’s chemistry is undeniable.
“There’s been so much speculation and hype, so I’m relieved we can share the news with the public at last! I’d like to thank all the brilliant people we saw before making this tough decision.
“But 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.”
Who are the new Strictly hosts?
BBC/PA MediaEmma Willis, who was born in Birmingham, was a model before she began her TV presenting career on MTV in 2002.
She went on to host Big Brother in the 2010s during its tenure on Channel 5, fronting Big Brother’s bit on the side before moving to the main show and its celebrity spin-off.
Willis also presents singing talent show The Voice UK, which launched on the BBC in 2012 before moving to ITV in 2017. She also presented its junior spin-off The Voice Kids.
Willis’s other screen credits include hosting Channel 4’s reality series The Circle and ITV daytime shows Loose Women and This Morning.
She is married to Busted musician Matt Willis, and the pair jointly hosted Netflix dating show Love Is Blind UK in 2024. They had previously worked together hosting I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! NOW! – the jungle game show’s ITV2 spin-off.
Josh Widdicombe began his career as a stand-up comedian in 2008, and went on to appear on comedy shows such as Taskmaster, Mock The Week, Have I Got News For You and 8 Out of 10 Cats.
Since 2012, he has appeared alongside Adam Hills and Alex Brooker on Channel 4’s The Last Leg.
The show was originally commissioned to run alongside the London 2012 Summer Paralympics, but was so popular with viewers it continued as a topical weekly show satirising the week’s news.
He and fellow comedian Rob Beckett also host Parenting Hell, a popular podcast about raising children that began life during the Covid lockdown.
Widdicombe has also hosted BBC Radio 5 Live’s Fighting Talk, and had his own BBC sitcom, Josh. He has previously competed as a contestant on the 2024 Strictly Christmas special.
Johannes Radebe was born in South Africa and first appeared on the country’s own version of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.
He later joined the touring cast of dance show Burn The Floor, before he joined the British version of Strictly Come Dancing in 2018 as one of the show’s pro dancers.
His celebrity partners on the show have included Caroline Quentin, Ellie Taylor, Alex Kingston and John Whaite, who finished in second place in 2021.
Radebe has also starred in the West End musical Kinky Books.
‘A new chapter’
In a statement, Willis said: “It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Strictly – I’ve cheered and danced along from my sofa for years – so to be stepping into the Strictly ballroom is something I can’t quite comprehend.
“It’s impossible to fill the shoes that Tess and Claudia have left behind – two wonderful, iconic women who have been the beating heart of Strictly for so long.
She added: “I can only hope that we are able to help to steer the ship as beautifully as they have, into this new chapter.
“I can’t wait to spend my weekends with Josh and Jojo, the incredible dancers and the judges. Fingers crossed for a 10 from them!”
Radebe said: “This show has always stood for joy, heart, and togetherness, and I feel deeply honoured to now help carry that magic forward.”
“To do it alongside the formidable Emma Willis and the utterly brilliant Josh Widdicombe makes it even more special. I’m ready – sequins, nerves, and all…please bear with me. Love Jojo.”
Widdicombe added: “Dancing the Charleston dressed as a penguin for the 2024 Christmas Special of Strictly remains my career high point, so I am giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television.
“I adore Emma and Jojo and can’t wait to spend my weekends with them. I’ll dust off the penguin costume.”