A former contestant on Strictly Come Dancing is reportedly among the four leading candidates to host the 2026 series, following the departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The search for their replacements has been ongoing since they left at the end of the most recent series, with numerous names speculated as contenders.
After a week of filmed auditions, Irish presenter Angela Scanlon is said to have impressed BBC bosses, emerging as a “surprise hit.” According to MailOnline, the other television personalities in the running are Rylan Clark, Emma Willis, and Zoe Ball, with Ball currently considered the strong favourite.
“Angela did really well,” a source told the outlet. “The BBC said that this had to be all about the chemistry between the presenters and their ability to react to live comments and situations – and she shone.”
Scanlon, a former One Show host and BBC radio DJ, competed in the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing, finishing in sixth place alongside professional dancer Carlos Gu. She currently presents the Apprentice aftershow You’re Fired and has just been announced as Scott Mills’s replacement for this year’s Eurovision coverage.
The latest report appears to rule out other names that had been speculated, including Bradley Walsh and Alison Hammond. Meanwhile, Ball has been considered a clear favourite and, earlier this month, teased that she had something “glamorous” coming up, stating: “Obviously at the moment I can’t say anything about it.”
The BBC told The Independent that plans for Strictly 2026 will be announced in due course, with preparations for the series already underway. Ball said in January that she would “love” to host the show but added that she had not spoken to the show’s bosses. “I will still be watching, whoever hosts,” she said, adding that Alan Carr, Amanda Holden, Vernon Kay, and Clark could be strong replacements.
Strictly will look different this year following a shake-up of the professional cast. Gorka Marquez announced this week that he had left the show after 10 years, following the exits of Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, and Michelle Tsiakkas.
It has also been claimed that companion show It Takes Two will be refreshed to reflect changing audiences, similar to changes made with The Traitors: Uncloaked and The Apprentice: You’re Fired. According to reports, the series will become a vodcast, meaning hosts will film episodes for viewers and also record them for podcast listeners. It has also been claimed that Janette Manrara and Fleur East will no longer present the show, but the BBC told The Independent last month: “It is factually incorrect to claim that either has been axed.”
