Emma Willis Set to Join Strictly Come Dancing as New Host
Emma Willis is reportedly set to be announced as one of the new hosts for Strictly Come Dancing. With Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepping down, a number of celebrities have been in the running for the role. Among them, Ms Willis, 50, is now considered the front runner.
She has reportedly impressed during the chemistry tests, with the BBC viewing her as a “safe pair of hands.” A source revealed that Emma has been offered the job and is expected to accept. The insider added: “Emma absolutely nailed the chemistry tests and the BBC adore her. She’s a household name and a safe pair of hands so the BBC know she will do the job justice.”
The source also mentioned that Emma is incredibly popular with the public and will suit the role perfectly. She was thrilled to receive the offer. The insider further told The Sun: “Strictly is one of the biggest shows on television and to be trusted with the new era is something Emma feels incredibly proud and humbled by.”
According to reports, Zoe Ball, 55, is expected to be the other half of the presenting duo. A BBC spokesman confirmed that plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be announced in due course.
Ms Willis has had a successful career in television, hosting shows such as The Voice UK, Big Brother, The Circle, and Love Is Blind: UK, which she co-hosts with her husband, Matt. Over the past few months, several names have been speculated for the role, including Rylan Clark, Alison Hammond, and Alex Jones.
After weeks of speculation and multiple major names declining the opportunity, nine shortlisted stars were recently invited to a top-secret location in London for full-scale dress rehearsals with a judging panel and live band. To maintain secrecy, the BBC required the stars to sign strict NDAs. The network is hoping to announce a decision soon.
Among those confirmed for the callbacks are Clark, Ms Willis, Tom Allen, and Ms Jones.
What to Expect in the 24th Series
The BBC has given fans a glimpse of what to expect in the 24th series of the beloved programme. Dianne Buswell, 37, Nancy Xu, 34, Vito Coppola, 33, Julian Caillon, 30, Carlos Gu, 33, Lauren Oakley, 35, Amy Dowden, 35, Katya Jones, 36, Neil Jones, 44, Nikita Kuzmin, 28, Jowita Przystał, 31, Johannes Radebe, 39, Aljaž Škorjanec, 36, Alexis Warr, 25, and Kai Widdrington, 30, will return to the dance floor this year.
They will be joined by some professional dancers who are yet to be announced. This season also sees the departure of Karen Hauer, 43, Gorka Marquez, 35, Nadiya Bychkova, 36, Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, and Luba Mushtuk, 36.
The celebrities will be judged by Shirley Ballas, 65, Craig Revel Horwood, 61, Motsi Mabuse, 45, and Anton du Beke, 59. Weekly themes include Movies, Icons, Halloween, and Musicals, along with the annual visit to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.
A New Era for Strictly Come Dancing
Claudia Winkleman recently hinted that the “glitz and glamour” of Strictly Come Dancing had started to wear off for her and co-host Tess Daly. The BBC presenter, 54, quit the show last year after 13 years alongside Ms Daly, 57, who hosted for 21 years.
When asked by Closer magazine if the glitz and glamour had started to fade, she replied: “It’s not that I wasn’t excited at the end, but both of us were a bit like, ‘Oh yeah cool. All right, so then I do that…’”
Winkleman also shared how she feared her TV career was “over” when she was offered the hosting gig for The Traitors. “Traitors was not supposed to be what it was. I remember phoning my husband and saying, ‘I think it’s over,’” she admitted. “They sent me the Dutch version to watch and I was told to take a risk. I am incredibly lucky.”
