Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Johannes Radebe is reportedly set to join Emma Willis as part of the show’s new hosting line-up.
Willis, 50, is thought to have been offered one of the hosting jobs, being lined up as a replacement for longtime presenter Tess Daly.
Contender Zoe Ball admitted she didn’t get the role and shared her feelings of “grief and rejection” over the loss.
She also hinted that there might be more than two hosts in the new line-up as she praised the “gang” that got it.
Sources appeared to corroborate this theory by claiming South African dancer Radebe, nicknamed JoJo, could get a “roving reporter” type of role on the BBC ballroom show.
The 39-year-old reportedly impressed bosses with his “incredible” chemistry tests opposite all the other candidates during the gruelling audition process.
“Everyone involved in the auditions - including the celebs - are saying the job is going to JoJo. During the chemistry tests he was paired up with every other celeb and did incredibly well,” a source told The Sun.
“They all think he would be the perfect partner for Emma. He has been announced as one of the returning professional dancers but that doesn’t mean bosses aren’t going to promote him.”
His role is reportedly being decided by producers, who are thought to be considering bringing in three people to replace Daly, 57, and her longtime co-host Claudia Winkleman, 54.
“There’s been talk of having him as a roving reporter. He knows the dances better than anyone and is incredibly popular with Strictly fans,” the source stated.
“Whether he’s going to be a host like Emma or take a slightly different presenting role is being ironed out.”
The BBC said: “Plans for Strictly 2026 will be confirmed in due course.”
Radebe - who is currently starring in a West End production of Kinky Boots - joined Strictly in 2018.
He has been partnered with celebrities like Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley and tennis star Annabel Croft on the show.
He was paired with John Waite in 2021 and they became the first same-sex partnership to reach the final.
An announcement about the hosting line-up will reportedly be made next week. Willis is set to accept the Strictly offer this week, sources claimed.
She was reportedly offered one of the Strictly hosting jobs after “nailing the chemistry tests”.
She is thought to have been one of the nine celebrities shortlisted for the audition process, including Rylan Clark, Tom Allen, podcast host Angela Scanlon and One Show presenter Alex Jones.
Also in the callbacks were This Morning host Alison Hammond, The Chase presenter Bradley Walsh, RuPaul's Drag Race star La Voix and Zoe Ball.
Earlier this week, Ball revealed she didn’t get the job and is currently “working through the seven stages of grief and rejection”.
“I didn't get it, but it's OK,” she said on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, out on Tuesday.
Ball - who left her Radio 2 job in 2025 - went on: “I have worked through the seven stages of grief and rejection over the last couple of days.
“No, I didn't get it, but I tell you, what, if who I think has got it, we're in safe hands and our new hosts are going to be fabulous. I'm so thrilled for them, and hopefully at a later date, we'll be able to talk about them in more detail.”
Sharing more details about the role, she added: “I was so chuffed to even be in the mix. There were some pretty amazing people who didn't even make it into the mix.
“So I made it in the mix, and I had a really fun time having one last little play at a show that I love and adore. And I'm so thrilled for the gang that has got it.
“I think there's been so many eyes on this whole process, everyone's quite relieved now that a decision has been made and the right decision has been made.”
Winkleman and Daly announced that they would step down from Strictly last year after 21 years in an emotional joint statement.
