Strictly

A popular British comedian is now favourite to present Strictly Come Dancing after wowing producers

A comedian is now favourite to present Strictly Come Dancing after wowing producers.

Josh Widdecombe has reportedly become frontrunner to host the BBC Latin and ballroom show in the coming series after hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s departure from the show.

It has been revealed that a number of celebrities are ‘auditioning’ for hosting duties, with names including Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark and Angela Scanlon all rumoured to in the running.

However, bosses look as though they’ve got a new preferred presenter after he wowed producers. If Josh was to get the job, he’d be the first male host since Sir Bruce Forsyth left the programme.

“Josh blew the producers away with his dead-pan, witty banter. He is family friendly, having helmed several shows now, and loves Strictly,” a source told The Sun, “The bosses believe he will be ideal to take the show into a new era.

“After years as a stand-up, he can handle a live audience and is razor-sharp. He’s not a household name, yet, and so to step into Brucie’s shoes would be a stellar move for his career.”

It comes after Alan Carr broke his silence on rumours he was a contender for the Strictly hosting duties.

“I didn’t turn it down, I was just clumped with everyone and had to say: ‘No, don’t put me in the mix.’ I love watching Strictly, but I don’t love it enough. People are always moaning there aren’t new, fresh faces on TV. Well, wouldn’t it be amazing to give it to a young person who absolutely adores Strictly and dancing?” he said to The Telegraph.

The Celebrity Traitors winner added: “If I rock up on it, they’ll go: ‘Oh, here he is again.’ Why waste it on me? I don’t really know the dances. I’d be like: ‘Oh here they go again, that dance with the legs.'”

In a joint statement last year, Tess and Claudia announced their decision to leave the show.

“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,” the pair wrote in a joint statement online.

“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.”

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Some fans are convinced that two TV stars have hinted that they are to take over as Strictly Come Dancing hosts after Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down

Two major TV stars have seemingly let slip that they’re about to become the new Strictly Come Dancing hosts.

The BBC have now announced all the returning professional dancers after a massive number of exits. It has also been confirmed that all four judges are making their return to the BBC show.

The hosts have yet to be announced after Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down and there has been much talk about who might replace them, with names including Rylan Clark and Bradley Walsh being rumoured.

Fans now are convinced they know who will be presenting the show – after spotting a telling clue. Referencing the official post to announce the returning professional dancers and judges, one fan noted: “I noticed that they are the only ones from the rumoured 10 to be commenting on the post. Correct me if I am wrong. My dream duo.”

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They are referring to the fact Zoe Ball and Angela Scanlon were the only two stars to comment on the post from the rumoured 10. Zoe – who previously presented the spin-off show – and former contestant Angela are hot favourites to replace Tess and Claudia.

One fan penned in response: “Would be two good choices as hosts. Zoe could fill the more serious role (although I still think Emma Willis would’ve been perfect for that but won’t complain about Zoe) and Angela would fill the Claudia role very well.

“The only thing I would say is Angela might have to balance her humour with seriousness a bit more than she has had to do in other presenting roles. But much much better than the other rumoured hosts like Rylan and Bradley Walsh.”

Another added: “I would absolutely not be mad if these were our hosts. Fit the bill for me, and they both know strictly well and how it works,” as a third penned: “Would be absolutely fine with this.”

Tess and Claudia announced back in September that they were quitting the show after the end of this series.

“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,” they said.

“They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last “keep dancing” but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”

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Strictly Come Dancing is facing a huge reshape after five dancers joined Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman in heading for the exit door, but one professional seems to have confirmed they are staying

Strictly Come Dancing will have a hugely different lineup when it returns to the small screen later this year, but one favourite appears to have confirmed his position.

While five professional dancers foxtrot away from the BBC show for various reasons, South African star Johannes Radebe appears ready to commit to another series.

The dancer, 39, had seen speculation rise about his future on the show following the huge cull of show regulars last month. Gorka Marquez also became the latest to walk away last week after 10 years on the show. But Johannes looks set to feature in the 24th series of the popular dance contest. The star is currently starring as Lola in the 2026 production of Kinky Boots at the London Coliseum.

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And in a chat with The i Paper, he seemingly confirmed his return to the ballroom floor for another year. He told the publication: “‘I live at the Coliseum while I’m in Kinky Boots.

“And when that finishes, Strictly will come around again, so I think I’m just too busy [for a love life].”

Fans of the show will be pleased to hear him cement his place following the exit of a number of big names. Announced departures from the show so far, include; Michelle Tsiakkas, Luba Mushtuk, Nadiya Bychkova and Karen Hauer.

Gorka’s announcement was the latest to stun viewers. He took to Instagram last week to share the big decision. He wrote: “After last year’s decision to step down as a full-time professional due to scheduling conflicts between Strictly and Dancing with the Stars Spain, I’ve decided that now is the time to hang up my dance shoes and say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing.

“I will always be incredibly grateful to Strictly and the BBC for everything. Being part of the show has been so much more than just a professional opportunity—over the past 10 years, it allowed me to build a career from my passion, find love, start a family, and make lifelong friends. For that, I will forever be thankful.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported me and shared their love throughout this incredible journey.”

And it’s not just the dancers who won’t be returning. Part way through the last series, hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly confirmed they were stepping down.

The pair released a joint statement to reveal their time is up. And while thee hasn’t been an official confirmation on who will take their place, the rumour mill has been rife.

Among the favourites to take the job on is Rylan Clark. Bradley Walsh has also been speculated, but the star of The Chase previously moved to distance himself from the show.

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CHRISTINE McGuinness is reportedly growing close to a Strictly star and Olympian after opening up about having sex with women for the first time.

Mum-of-three Christine, 38, who finalised her divorce from ex-Top Gear host Paddy, 52, in 2024, is getting close to Olympic boxing star Nicola Adams, 43, according to The Mail.

Christine and Nicola attended The DIVA Awards 2026 recently, which is an event which celebrates the achievements of LGBTQIA women and non-binary people.

An onlooker told the paper: “They were inseparable and looked like they were a couple.”

The pair now also follow each other on social media.

Nicola split from her partner of seven years, Ella Baig, in March 2025.

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The Sun reached out to both Christine and Nicola’s representatives for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

This comes after Christine opened up about dating women last week.

“I would love to have a wife one day,” Christine explains on new podcast It Started With A Kiss.

“Not like a legalised marriage, but like a blessing, a celebration of love.

“I’ve been there, done it, spent an absolute fortune and probably aged about ten years throughout it all.

“I don’t want to do that again.

“I would love to just be saying, ‘This is my wife.’”

Elsewhere in her chat, Christine said: “I’m a sucker for a stud and a masc.

“I swear they come for me.

“This one date, well, it wasn’t a date, it was when I did the whole hotel thing and not the whole date thing.

“Because I didn’t want to ever just meet someone and it just be sex, but then kind of did find myself in a place in life where I was like, ‘Do you know what? I actually do just want to do that.’

“I’ve been married, I’ve had situationships, I was single, I was celibate for six months, and with all of that, I just had a moment of, ‘Do you know what, I wouldn’t mind just meeting up with someone and just seeing how it goes.’

“So I got to this hotel and I’m thinking, ‘This is just sex, it’s fine.’

“She was very, very beautiful, like that perfect, pretty, handsome, like masc stud type woman, really gorgeous, dark skin, like she had everything.”

Christine adds: “We’re just chatting away and she said that she was a Gold Star Lesbian.

“So I’m like, love that, love a Gold Star Lesbian.

“I went, ‘Stop . . .  because you might be a Gold Star Lesbian, but I’m a Five Star Lesbian.’”

Of her first kiss, Christine is just as open, saying: “The first time I kissed a woman, again after my husband and no disrespect to him, it had been a while.

“I remember that first kiss just being so soft and so nice and so feminine.

“I knew I always felt it and it wasn’t something that I was worried about never doing again because when I married, I married for life, genuinely.

“But I was really happy that I was doing it again.

“And I’m really happy that now I am dating women again and that I am having fun.

“I’ve got some of the best stories, some of the wildest memories, like the craziest experiences that only I and one other person would ever know.”

Christine chose to speak about wanting to date men and women after signing up to E4 TV series Celebs Go Dating in April last year.

It came after Christine and Paddy announced their separation in 2022.