Strictly Come Dancing's 2026 series opened with three new hosts, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, after the historic departures of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Fans have demanded the BBC restore the familiar dance-and-song reveal clips, while critics say past scandals and a thin celebrity line-up have left the flagship show looking rickety.
The 24th series launched on September 19 with the trio's debut — the first time in the show's history that three presenters have shared the role. Emma Willis, 50, the most orthodox presenter of the three after years fronting Big Brother and The Voice, takes Tess Daly's main-anchor role; Josh Widdicombe, 43, the stand-up comic known to Strictly audiences only from the 2024 Christmas special, steps into Claudia Winkleman's "Clauditorium"; and Johannes Radebe, 39, a Strictly professional since 2018, becomes the first former pro dancer to host the main show outright, acting as a roving reporter. The BBC confirmed the appointment in May after an extensive audition process; chief content officer Kate Phillips said the trio's chemistry was "undeniable." Daly, 57, and Winkleman, 54, announced their departure in October 2025 after 21 years together, signing off on the 2025 Christmas special.
The revamp runs deeper than the hosts. Ellie Taylor became the new presenter of Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, replacing Fleur East and Janette Manrara; five professional dancers did not return, with five new pros — Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita — joining the cast. The judges — Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood — all returned, and the show introduced its first logo change since the eighth series. The launch show unveiled a new pairing format, with celebrities and professionals learning their partners through three choreographed group routines rather than the familiar reveal.
Viewers have been divided. Fans demanded the BBC bring back the dance-and-song clips that used to unveil the pairings, and some critics argue the show feels rickety after years of off-screen scandals and a celebrity line-up that lacks the star wattage of its heyday. The BBC is leaning on talking points including returning contestant Dani Dyer — back after withdrawing from the previous series through injury, paired with Nikita Kuzmin — and the third female-female pairing of actress Bethany Antonia with Nancy Xu.
For the BBC, the three-host gamble is the biggest shake-up in Strictly's 24-series history. Whether the chemistry Phillips spotted survives the pressure of live Saturday nights — and whether the flagship can recover its sparkle — will be judged week by week through the autumn, with returning themed weeks including Movies Week and Halloween alongside the Instant Dance Challenge.