Strictly Come Dancing has done a complete overhaul of its line-up with new presenters and professional dancers taking the stage, but not everyone from the wider Strictly family appears to be happy12:51, 04 Aug 2026Updated 12:51, 04 Aug 2026While fans eagerly await the next season of Strictly Come Dancing to see what the new presenters have in store, some Strictly stars appear to be less happy with the changes made to the hit BBC show.‌Former pro dancer Brendan Cole is among those to speak out and air concern the new presenters - Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe - will not live up to Strictly royalty including late host Bruce Forsyth.‌Like Brendan, Bruce was on the show when it launched back in 2004. He fronted the BBC reboot alongside Tess Daly, who took the reins alongside Claudia Winkleman when Bruce left ten years later.‌In a pointed dig at the new line-up Brendan said: “Personally, I wouldn’t have made it that. I think it needs to be somebody… I think it needed class."He added that he felt someone like Bruce, whom he called a "proper showbiz legend" who could sing, dance and act. And for Brendan, no one was better for that than another former pro.‌"I said Anton [du Beke] would probably make a great host in terms of his being on the show since day one.For me, it needed that, but they didn’t go for that," he told The Sun.Brendan added that he felt the BBC hadn't been as fresh with their new appointments as they could have been and went for TV stars who are similar to Tess and Claudia. While he praised Emma, who has presented Big Brother, The Circle and Love Is Blind, for being "great" at her job and "in control", he said that the BBC have still "replaced Tess with another Tess".‌Likewise, he felt Josh's background as a comedian meant he would be following in Claudia's footsteps. Brendan said that the BBC had "just done like for like".He did not feel the same about Johannes, the third presenter. Instead, Brendan said he had "no idea" what the plan was with turning the pro dancer into a host. He finished by returning to Bruce Forsyth, saying: "There's three of them and not one of them is Bruce."‌Brendan joined Strictly as a pro dancer in 2004 and won the first series with his partner Natasha Kaplinsky. He remained on the show until 2017. He was well known for clashing with several Strictly stars, including judge Craig Revel Horwood, whom he often argued with after receiving criticism. When he left the show, he claimed he was dropped due to creative differences and his "strong" views.Like Brendan, former Strictly star James Jordan has also taken a swipe at the presenting line up. He previously said that he would have preferred Bradley Walsh or Tess' ex husband Vernon Kay to take over, "because they're tried and tested", but he did also call Emma "amazing".James took part in Strictly from 2006-2013 and reached the final twice. He never won, but his wife, Ola Jordan, did with Chris Hollins in 2009. James would also frequently clash with the judges during his time on Strictly. In 2014, he was offered a reduced role on the show that would see him take part in show specials but would not have him participating with a celebrity partner in the main series. He declined the offer.‌Meanwhile, Vincent Simone, who is now touring with Brendan and James, said he was all for the changes, particularly including Johannes in the line-up. He said that it was "good" to have a pro involved in presenting the show, as he "knows all the pros, he knows the environment".Vincent joined Strictly in the same year as James, 2006, and he remained on the show until 2012. He also never won the show but reached the final three times. He chose to leave the show alongside his professional dance partner Flavia Cacace so that they could focus on their external projects.The Mirror contacted the BBC for comment.Article continues belowLike this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .