Strictly Come Dancing appears to have undergone another significant hosting reshuffle, which seems to have slipped past viewers' attention amid the arrival of its contentious new presenting team.
Series 24 launched this month with Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, and Josh Widdecombe taking charge as stand-ins for Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who revealed their exit last year. While the fresh faces and format alterations have been embraced by many, others have voiced their disapproval on social media, predominantly aimed at comedian Josh.
Criticism and a noticeable absence
Amongst criticisms about him appearing like a "spare part," some have even claimed that the presenter seems "out of his depth." With his co-stars also weighing in and tackling the criticism, Joanne Clifton's absence has mostly gone unnoticed.
In 2022, the former professional secured a major role as presenter for Strictly's companion show, It Takes Two, but this year, she has yet to make an appearance.
Joanne Clifton's role and fan reactions
Joanne previously fronted the Choreography Corner segment, which offered viewers an in-depth analysis of the previous weekend's live show routines, scrutinising footwork, technique, and musicality. She assumed the position following Karen Hardy's 2017 exit, which saw the segment feature a different presenter each week. Once all the professional dancers had taken their turn, Joanne was confirmed as the permanent presenter.
With the 2026 series underway and Ellie Taylor making her first appearance as the It Takes Two presenter, fans noticed that the cherished champion was absent. One viewer queried on X: "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."
Pregnancy announcement
While the BBC never officially confirmed her departure, another fan speculated: "Joanne Clifton is heavily pregnant right now, so might be taking it easy." A third chimed in with: "Prob maternity leave atm, but then would have thought someone would come and do it instead."
The 42 year old announced her pregnancy back in June, sharing that she and her fiancé, AJ Jenks, were expecting their first child together. In a light-hearted post, the expectant mum shared a snap of a London Underground Baby On Board badge, revealing their baby's due date as December in the accompanying caption.
Joking about the challenge of choosing a name, they quipped: "Can't wait to meet ErlingbellinghamDebrunyeLennonMcCartneyTaylorHansonHelenMcroryClaudiaWinklemanAlanCarrBuddyHollyPollyShermanPrincessFiona Clifton-Jenks. Cya in December."
