BBC names Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe for Strictly

The BBC has put Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe in charge of Strictly Come Dancing, installing a three-presenter line-up for the first time in the flagship entertainment programme’s history. The announcement, made on May 19, 2026, ended months of speculation and reported auditions for the roles left open by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

The news was shared on the official Strictly Instagram account, which posted: “It’s official...September 2026.” The trio are set to debut in the autumn 2026 series, giving the broadcaster a fresh presenting team after a period in which the show has faced several scandals and renewed scrutiny.

Daly and Winkleman announced their departure in October 2025 and stepped down at the end of the 2025 series. The live final aired on December 20, 2025, followed by a Christmas Day special five days later, drawing a line under an era that had defined the programme for more than a decade. Daly had launched Strictly in 2004 alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth, while Winkleman moved from fronting the companion show It Takes Two to the main Saturday-night programme in 2014 after Forsyth stepped down.

The BBC’s choice signals a significant reset for one of its most valuable mass-audience franchises. Willis brings a long track record in mainstream television, with credits including The Voice and Big Brother. Widdicombe, better known as a comedian, adds a different tone to the panel, while Radebe returns to the show in a new presenting role after establishing himself as a professional dancer and fan favourite on Strictly.

The decision gives the corporation a chance to modernize the brand without abandoning its most familiar touchpoints. By pairing a seasoned presenter, a comic voice and a Strictly veteran, the BBC is betting that a broader mix of personalities can stabilize the show after the exit of two long-identified faces and keep its huge Saturday-night audience invested in the next chapter.