Strictly Come Dancing loses five professional dancers before new series

Q: Who are the secret frontrunners chosen to host Strictly after its biggest cast shake-up in years?

No hosts have been officially confirmed by the BBC, but the strongest reported frontrunners to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are Zoe Ball, Emma Willis, Rylan Clark and Angela Scanlon. Reporting around the secret audition process says BBC bosses held closed-door screen tests and chemistry trials in London, with those four emerging most consistently as the leading contenders. Zoe Ball is widely seen as a favourite because of her long association with Strictly through It Takes Two and previous guest-hosting. Emma Willis has also been described as a top contender for a more traditional lead-presenter role. Rylan Clark remains heavily linked to the job because of his It Takes Two experience and live-TV style, while Angela Scanlon has reportedly impressed executives during auditions and is described in some reports as a surprise standout. Other names said to have been tested or discussed include Alex Jones, Alison Hammond, Tom Allen, La Voix and Bradley Walsh, though some reports suggest Walsh and Hammond are no longer in the frame. The key point is that the “secret frontrunners” are still based on media reports rather than BBC confirmation. The corporation has only said that plans for the new series, including the presenting lineup, will be announced in due course.

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 6

Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas are leaving, while 15 of last year's 20 professionals will return.
The BBC has not named replacements, but said new international talent would join the line-up; judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke remain.
Hauer exits after 14 years, Marquez after 10, and the 2026 series is expected to start in September, with no update yet on hosts replacing Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.