The race to find the new faces of Strictly Come Dancing has taken a personal turn, with head judge Shirley Ballas revealing she plans to champion two specific stars for the coveted roles.
A Mother's Request
Ballas disclosed that her mother, Audrey, has directly asked her to help make popular presenter Rylan Clark and barrister-turned-TV personality Rob Rinder the show's new hosts. The iconic presenting duo of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman left the BBC programme at the end of the last series, sparking a nationwide search for their successors.
"My mother said: 'Can you not make it happen that Rylan is the main presenter and Judge Rinder is up in the Clauditorium?'" Shirley told the Daily Mail's Weekend magazine. She promised her mum: "I'll put a good word in for you."
Shirley Rules Herself Out
While advocating for others, the head judge firmly ruled herself out of the running for the presenting job. She described herself as a dancer "from the tip of my toes to the top of my head", indicating her place remains on the judging panel.
She also expressed she would miss fellow judge Anton Du Beke if he were to take on a hosting role, a job he has openly expressed desire for. Despite the many rumours and hopefuls, Ballas expressed confidence in the BBC's ultimate decision, stating: "Whoever they pick will be absolutely sensational."
Legacy and Future of Strictly
Tess Daly has been with Strictly since its first series in 2004, while Claudia Winkleman joined as co-host of the results show in 2010, taking over a main presenting role from Sir Bruce Forsyth in 2014.
The speculation doesn't end with Rylan and Rinder. Former professional dancer Oti Mabuse, a two-time Glitterball trophy winner, has also been linked to a potential return to the show in a presenting capacity. Mabuse, who won consecutively with Kelvin Fletcher in 2019 and Bill Bailey in 2020, left in 2021.
Speaking to The Times, the 35-year-old praised the outgoing hosts, calling them "so brilliant" and acknowledging the unseen work Daly does live on air. While not confirming her own interest, she trusted the producers' judgement, saying: "The producers will do a good job because they know that show better than any of us."
Mabuse added that despite the shock departures, "Strictly belongs to the people" and is sure to "survive and thrive" with its new team.
