Zoe Ball Misses Out as Strictly Names Three New Hosts
zoe ball missed out as Strictly Come Dancing named Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe as its new hosts on Tuesday. The has replaced Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman with the show’s first three permanent presenters, a switch that changes the presenting model heading into the autumn series.
Emma Willis Joins the Ballroom
Emma Willis said she was a “huge fan” of the show and added: “To be stepping into the Strictly ballroom is something I can't quite comprehend.” Josh Widdicombe called the job “giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television,” while Johannes Radebe said the role was “beyond anything I ever imagined.”
Three Hosts, Equal Billing
The trio are understood to have equal billing, although it has not yet been announced which role each presenter will take on. That leaves the new line-up with a practical wrinkle the previous two-host set-up did not have: the job now has to be divided, not simply handed over.
Sarah James described the combination as “unexpected, but their magic was undeniable the moment they came together,” and said Willis brings “a wealth of presenting experience and a natural warmth,” Widdicombe “had us all in stitches with his unique style of self-deprecating humour and razor-sharp wit,” and Radebe is “a one-of-a-kind talent who's been a beloved part of the Strictly family for eight years and will bring all his experience and knowledge to this new role.”
Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark
Zoe Ball took part in the audition process and later said she had worked through “the seven stages of grief and rejection” after being told she had missed out. Rylan Clark also said he had been “in the race” after the new line-up was announced, then joked that he was “taking the news well” and sent the “biggest congrats” to the new hosts.
Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will all return when the new series launches in the autumn. With the judges in place and the presenting team reset, the has settled the biggest on-screen personnel decision around the show before the new run begins.
