Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly’s departure from Strictly Come Dancing has left a vacancy at one of the BBC’s biggest shows.
In a joint statement shared on Instagram on Thursday, the co-hosts, who have fronted the programme together since 2014, said they would be leaving the show at the end of the current series.
So who could replace them?
– Zoe Ball
Zoe Ball hosted Strictly’s sister show It Takes Two for 10 series between 2011 and 2020, having appeared as a contestant on the show in series three in 2005, where she finished in third place with professional partner Ian Waite.
The 54-year-old stepped in as the main show’s host for a number of weeks in 2014 to replace Winkleman, who had to take time off to look after one of her children.
Ball has previously worked as a presenter on Top Of The Pops, from 1996 to 1998, Live And Kicking, from 1996 to 1999, and SMart, from 1994 to 1996.
In recent times she has made a name for herself on the radio with the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show, which she left last year, having started in 2019.
The presenter currently hosts a Sunday lunchtime show on Radio 2, and is due to co-host a new version of Just One Thing, which previously featured the late Michael Mosley.
– Janette Manrara
Janette Manrara began her Strictly career as a professional dancer, appearing on the show from series 11 in 2013 to series 18 in 2020, with her best finish coming in her final series, where she was runner-up with singer Hrvy.
In 2021, the 41-year-old was announced as Ball’s replacement on It Takes Two, a role she still holds to this day, sharing presenting duties with Fleur East.
Manrara is married to Strictly professional dancer Aljaz Skorjanec, and previously appeared on US TV series So You Think You Can Dance.
The presenter was recently in the news when last year’s Strictly contestant Wynne Evans was dropped by the BBC after aiming a sexual joke at her during the Strictly live tour.
– Fleur East
Fleur East has co-presented It Takes Two since 2023, when she replaced Rylan Clark on the show.
The 37-year-old has previously appeared as a Strictly contestant on series 20 in 2022, where she was paired with Italian professional dancer Vito Coppola, and finished runner-up.
Prior to appearing on the BBC dancing show, East began her career as a singer, appearing on series two of ITV’s The X Factor in 2005, as part of the group Addictiv Ladies, before returning to the singing show in its 11th series in 2014, where she was a runner-up to Ben Haenow.
East also appeared as a contestant on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2018, where she finished in fourth place.
– Rylan Clark
Another former X Factor contestant, Rylan Clark, presented It Takes Two from 2019 to 2022, alongside Ball and Manrara.
The 36-year-old rose to fame as a contestant on the ITV singing show in 2012, and has gone on to carve out a name for himself as a presenter on shows such as This Morning, The One Show and Celebrity Big Brother, on which he appeared as a contestant in 2013.
Clark has served as a co-commentator on the Eurovision Song Contest since 2018, and has also appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox, Supermarket Sweep and Ready Steady Cook.
– Natasha Kaplinsky
Natasha Kaplinsky stood in for Tess Daly for most of Strictly’s second series in 2004, when the presenter was on maternity leave, co-hosting alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The 53-year-old TV presenter and journalist won the show’s first series in 2004, with professional partner Brendan Cole, and returned to the show in 2012 to take part in the show’s Christmas special, and again in 2018 as part of a Bafta tribute to Sir Bruce.
She is currently the president of the British Board Of Film Classification (BBFC), having started the role in 2022, and has previously hosted BBC Breakfast, Five News and ITV News.
– Roman Kemp
An early bookmakers’ favourite, Roman Kemp has not taken part in any Strictly-related shows previously, and currently hosts the BBC’s The One Show, which he has featured on since 2022.
The 32-year-old is the son of Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp and singer Shirlie Holliman, who was part of Wham! backing duo Pepsi and Shirlie, and Kemp also presented the Capital FM Breakfast Show from 2017 to 2024.
Kemp has also worked as a presenter on The Brit Awards and presented BBC Three documentaries Roman Kemp: Our Silent Emergency and Roman Kemp: The Fight for Young Lives, which saw him open up on his mental health issues.
