Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe have been announced as the new presenters of Strictly Come Dancing, replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman for the 2026 series. The trio will take over from the autumn for the BBC show’s 24th series.
Kate Phillips, the BBC’s Chief Content Officer, described their chemistry as “undeniable” and said the decision followed “so much speculation and hype”. Radebe has been a professional dancer on the show for seven series, while Willis has hosted programmes such as The Voice and Big Brother. Widdicombe, a comedian, took part in the 2024 Christmas special.
Widdicombe recalled his “career high point” of dancing the Charleston in a penguin costume and said he was “giddy with excitement” to step into “the biggest shoes in television”. Radebe said he felt “deeply honoured” to carry the show’s magic forward, while Willis expressed her excitement to spend weekends with her co-hosts, the dancers and judges.
The appointments follow the surprise departure of Daly and Winkleman, who jointly hosted the show from 2014. Both received MBEs in June 2025. Their exit came amid a turbulent period for Strictly, including an investigation into alleged cocaine use by two stars, two rape arrests (one later dropped for insufficient evidence), and a vote-rigging accusation from former contestant Thomas Skinner, which the BBC denies.
Winkleman and Daly’s final show was the 2025 Christmas special. Winkleman has since started a new chat show, while Daly recently announced her separation from husband Vernon Kay.
