The BBC has been dancing around the speculation for months, but Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe have been confirmed as the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing. The trio will be the show’s first line-up of three presenters since Tess Daly, Bruce Forsyth and Claudia Winkleman fronted the format together in 2013. Sharing the news in a statement, Willis said that she’s a “huge fan” of Strictly and “can’t quite comprehend” becoming a presenter on the show. “It’s impossible to fill the shoes that Tess and Claudia have left behind - two wonderful, iconic women who have been the beating heart of Strictly for so long,” she said. “I can only hope that we are able to help to steer the ship as beautifully as they have, into this new chapter. I can’t wait to spend my weekends with Josh and Jojo, the incredible dancers and the judges. Fingers crossed for a 10 from them!”Johannes Radebe, Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe (BBC)While Widdicombe – who competed in the 2024 Christmas Special – said that dancing the Charleston while dressed as a penguin “remains my career high point”. He added: “I am giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television. I adore Emma and Jojo and can’t wait to spend my weekends with them. I’ll dust off the penguin costume.”At the weekend, Widdicombe described his appearance on the show as the “worst day” of his career after realising that he was the “worst dancer” in the line-up. Radebe, who is rumoured to be taking on a “roving reporter” role, added: “To be returning to Strictly Come Dancing in this new role is beyond anything I ever imagined.“This show has always stood for joy, heart, and togetherness, and I feel deeply honoured to now help carry that magic forward. To do it alongside the formidable Emma Willis and the utterly brilliant Josh Widdicombe makes it even more special.“I’m ready – sequins, nerves, and all, please bear with me. Love Jojo.”Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 dayNew subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 dayNew subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.Rumours have been swirling ever since Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced they were stepping away from the BBC competition, and Willis emerged as a frontrunner in recent weeks.However tough the task, producers are hoping to recapture Daly and Winkleman’s dynamic styles, with the former’s sleek professionalism in the main studio and Traitors presenter Winkleman’s mastery of controlled chaos in the “Clauditorium”.The trio will be the new faces of 'Strictly Come Dancing' later this year (BBC)Their hiring follows a rigorous casting process, involving filmed auditions and chemistry tests, which is believed to have put presenters including Angela Scanlon, Rylan Clark and Alison Hammond through their paces.The Strictly hosting roles are among the biggest jobs in UK showbusiness and taking them on is a major commitment: the series runs for three months every year, with the live show and results show recorded on Saturday nights. Zoe Ball was a frontrunner to replace Daly and Winkleman earlier this year, however she confirmed in May that she was not offered the role. “I didn’t get it, but it’s OK,” she said on her podcast, Dig It. “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.”Alan Carr also ruled himself out of the competition, admitting that he did not “love it enough”. He told The Telegraph in May: “I didn’t turn it down, I was just clumped with everyone and had to say: ‘No, don’t put me in the mix.’ I love watching Strictly, but I don’t love it enough. People are always moaning there aren’t new, fresh faces on TV. Well, wouldn’t it be amazing to give it to a young person who absolutely adores Strictly and dancing?”While Daly and Winkleman hosted the pre-recorded Strictly festive special, the 2025 series’s grand final marked their final time in the ballroom as it was recorded live one week before Christmas.The pair were given a suitably emotional send-off as Anton du Beke reduced Daly to tears with a touching tribute to her time on the show, before the annual montage of fans sharing their favourite moments segued into a celebration of the presenters.