The new presenting trio of Strictly Come Dancing has confirmed there is no fixed division of responsibilities on the show, and has dismissed reports of a backstage roving reporter role.
Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe were announced as the BBC programme's new presenting line-up earlier this year, following Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's decision to step down at the close of 2025.
No fixed roles for new hosts
Speaking on Richard Osman's The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, the trio revealed that, unlike the previous arrangement, there is currently no set allocation of presenting duties. They also addressed speculation that Radebe would take on a backstage "roving reporter" role, firmly dismissing such reports.
Willis said: "There's no like for like, so no one's kind of replacing anybody and at the minute it's all very kind of open. We're having lots of production days where we go in and we play around and we're kind of feeling each other out – well, they're feeling us out really."
Wild card approach confirmed
Widdicombe joked about the trio's fluid approach, saying: "It's going to be like total football, Richard. We're going to be moving everywhere." Willis also refuted earlier reports about Johannes taking on a backstage role, adding: "There's definitely no backstage roving reporter, which is what has been reported quite a bit. That's not a thing."
The presenting team disclosed that the three-host format was initially something of an experiment, with producers acknowledging they had not even prepared a script for the unconventional arrangement. Explaining how the concept emerged, Willis said: "We're just like, 'What happens if we do three?' And they said, 'It's so much of a wild card, we don't really have a script for you either. So we're going to sit down, get it up on the screen and we'll have a little tinker all together.'"
New series start date
When the new presenting line-up was unveiled in May, Willis expressed her enthusiasm about joining the BBC favourite, describing herself as a "huge fan" of the show and saying: "To be stepping into the Strictly ballroom is something I can't quite comprehend." Widdicombe said he was "giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television", while Radebe said: "To be returning to Strictly Come Dancing in this new role is beyond anything I ever imagined."
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 7:25 PM on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
