Fleur East has reportedly been axed from Strictly Come Dancing's companion programme, It Takes Two, as the BBC implements sweeping changes ahead of the 2026 series. The former X Factor contestant and Hits Radio host is among the latest casualties following the departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman from the flagship show.
Departures and Restructuring
This development comes shortly after Fleur's colleague Janette Manrara confirmed she would not be returning for the upcoming series. Both exits are understood to be part of a substantial reorganisation at the BBC programme. An insider told The Sun: "Fleur has kept the news on the lowdown for as long as she could, only telling her close friends. She's still in denial about it and was really upset by the decision." The source added: "But it wasn't personal. The BBC have decided to make a number of other changes in order to give the show a fresh new feel. Sadly for Fleur, she didn't make the cut and was dropped."
Fleur's Reaction and Previous Hopes
Fleur had screen-tested as a possible successor to Tess and Claudia, though she acknowledged being overlooked. During her Hits Radio Breakfast show last month, she confessed: "All right, I'm going to say it. I did say initially, after Tess and Claudia announced they were leaving Strictly, you know, it's probably not going to happen [for me] and I'm happy for whoever gets it. And we were just talking about Emma Willis being announced and I was like, yeah, great, amazing and I've kind of lied to myself that I'd be all right with not doing it or not being considered for the job. But I'm kind of bothered." Fleur also expressed gratitude for her involvement with It Takes Two, which she joined in 2023, and for having competed on the main show in 2022.
New Presenters Announced
Last month, Emma Willis was announced as the new main presenter, joining Josh Widdecombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe. A BBC spokesperson told Express.co.uk: "Further plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course." Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two will return to BBC Two in September.
