Emma Willis has revealed that she received a seal of approval from her predecessors as she prepares to take over as host of Strictly Come Dancing. The 50-year-old presenter will be one of three new hosts, alongside professional dancer Johannes Radebe, 39, and comedian Josh Widdicombe, 43, replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Departure of Daly and Winkleman
Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly announced their departure from the show in October last year, stating it was the 'right time' to leave. In a joint statement, they said: "We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together, and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show."
Willis's Reaction to New Role
After the BBC announced in May that Emma Willis would take over as host, she said: "It's impossible to fill the shoes that Tess and Claudia have left behind - two wonderful, iconic women who have been the beating heart of Strictly for so long. I can only hope that we are able to help to steer the ship as beautifully as they have, into this new chapter. I can't wait to spend my weekends with Josh and Jojo, the incredible dancers and the judges. Fingers crossed for a 10 from them!"
Seal of Approval
Emma has now shared that she received a warm welcome from Tess and Claudia. She told The Sun: "We've had a little back and forth, yes, and they were lovely. They just said, 'Congrats, well done, you'll smash it.' And I was like, 'S**t!'" When asked if they offered advice, she said: "No tips. Just lots of kind words."
Willis's TV Experience
Emma Willis is no stranger to live TV, often hosting ITV talk show This Morning and set to return to The Voice later this year. She also hosts the Netflix reality dating series Love Is Blind with her husband Matt Willis. Rising to fame on MTV in the early 2000s, she has worked on other hit series such as I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW, Channel 4's The Circle, and Big Brother. She previously replaced Brian Dowling as host of Big Brother on Channel 5.
