Rylan Clark has spoken publicly for the first time about missing out on the Strictly Come Dancing hosting job to his close friend Emma Willis, saying he is “over the moon” for her. The former Big Brother host, comedian Josh Widdicombe, and professional dancer Johannes Radebe were announced as the new presenting trio for the BBC One dance show, taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after the 2025 series.
Rylan Confirms He Was in the Running
Before the new hosts were confirmed, Rylan was among the favourites to land the role, having previously hosted the spin-off show It Takes Two. Taking to Instagram after the announcement, he shared a video of himself crying from his X Factor days and wrote: “Just wanted to say as it was reported I was in 'The Race' for strictly, the biggest congrats to my Emma and equal congrats to Johannes and Josh. You're all going to have the best time. Made up for you's This wasn't my time sadly but am extremely grateful to even have been considered.”
Rylan's Reaction to the New Hosts
In an interview with Metro, Rylan elaborated on his feelings. “I’m so over the moon for Em. She’s perfect for that job. And JoJo, who I absolutely adore. I think he’s just going to be amazing and I hope we still get to see him dance as well because his talent is just ridiculous. And Josh, I’ve always got on with really well,” he said. He added that the trio’s appointment marks “a new era for Strictly” and that “with the power of three, they’ll have a lovely time.”
Emma, Josh, and Johannes Take the Helm
Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe are the first trio to host the long-running entertainment programme. They will debut when Strictly returns in September 2026. Rylan and Emma have been close friends for years, having worked together on Big Brother and regularly co-hosting ITV's This Morning. Rylan often refers to Emma as his “TV wife.”
Despite missing out, Rylan expressed genuine excitement for the new series, saying: “I’m so excited to see how that’s going to look. I think we were all like, 'this is a bit random', but I’ve got no doubt that it’s going to be absolutely amazing.” He acknowledged the challenge of following Tess and Claudia, noting, “anyone that’s following Tess and Claud, you’ve got to have some big balls to do it.”
