Strictly Come Dancing has seemingly undergone another major hosting shake-up, which appears to have gone under the radar following the arrival of its controversial new hosting trio. Series 24 kicked off this month with Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, and Josh Widdecombe at the helm as replacements for Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who announced their departure last year.
New Hosts Face Backlash
While the new faces and format changes have been welcomed by many, others have expressed their disapproval on social media, largely directed at the comedian Josh. Among complaints about him looking like a "spare part," some have even suggested that the presenter appears "out of his depth." With his co-stars also chiming in and addressing the backlash, Joanne Clifton's disappearance has largely escaped notice.
In 2022, the former pro landed a major gig as the host for Strictly's sister series, It Takes Two, but this year, she has yet to make an appearance. Joanne famously hosted the Choreography Corner segment, which gave fans a detailed breakdown of the previous weekend's live show routines, examining footwork, technique, and musicality.
Fans Question Joanne's Absence
She took on the role after Karen Hardy's 2017 departure, which saw the segment rotate a new presenter each week. When all the professional dancers had their turn, Joanne was announced as the permanent host. With the 2026 series in full swing and Ellie Taylor making her debut as the It Takes Two host, fans realised that the beloved champion was missing.
Taking to X, one questioned: "What has happened to Joanne Clifton? Do we have the Choreo corner anymore? #Strictly Btw, we still have Vicky Gill on Thursday's, thank god." Although an official departure was never confirmed by the BBC, another fan commented and suggested: "Joanne Clifton is heavily pregnant right now, so might be taking it easy." As a third echoed: "Prob maternity leave atm, but then would have thought someone would come and do it instead." (sic)
Pregnancy Announcement
The 42-year-old announced her pregnancy in June, revealing that she and her fiancé, AJ Jenks, were expecting their first child together. In the playful post, the mum-to-be shared a photograph of a London Underground Baby On Board badge, confirming their baby's due date as December in the accompanying caption.
Proving that deciding on a name could be hard, they quipped: "Can't wait to meet ErlingbellinghamDebrunyeLennonMcCartneyTaylorHansonHelenMcroryClaudiaWinklemanAlanCarrBuddyHollyPollyShermanPrincessFiona Clifton-Jenks. Cya in December." The Daily Express have contacted Strictly Come Dancing for comment.
