Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will have new hosts and new professional dancers – and now a format change is reportedly set to rock the forthcoming series.
It’s been claimed that companion show It Takes Two will be refreshed to reflect changing audiences, much in the same way as happened with The Traitors: Uncloaked and The Apprentice: You’re Fired.
According to reports, the series will become a vodcast, meaning the hosts will film episodes for viewers and also record them for podcast listeners. It’s 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.”
“There is definitely a creative renewal on the table for It Takes Two, and they are poised to sign off on the radical option of a vodcast,” a source told The Sun.
The source claimed that the switch-up attracts millions more viewers and listeners, stating: ”More and more people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy podcasts and vodcasts, so despite being quite a departure, it’s actually quite a shrewd move.”
The Independent has contacted the BBC for comment.
It Takes Two launched with the second series of Strictly in 2004, hosted by future main host Claudia Winkleman. She remained with the series until 2011, with Zoe Ball taking over until 2021. She shared hosting duties with Rylan Clark from 2019, with Clark remaining on the series until 2023.
When Ball left, former Strictly professional Janette Manrara took over, with celebrity contestant East eventually replacing Clark.
Ball and Clark are reportedly both in the running to replace Winkleman and Tess Daly on the main series of Strictly following the host’s departures back in December.
Earlier this month, Ball recently teased she had something “glamorous” coming up, stating: “Obviously at the moment I can’t say anything about it.”
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, Rylan Clark and Vernon Kay could be strong replacements.
Just one month before, her father, Johnny Ball, appeared to confirm that she was being considered for the role. “People are coming to her, but it’s too early to say,” he said.
“I think she would love it, I think she would love the job because she took over from Claudia on It Takes Two, and if anything, she did a better job than Claudia.”
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