Outgoing Strictly Come Dancing hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly

Strictly Come Dancing fans are still reeling from the news that both of its presenters, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, will be stepping down at the end of the current season.

Tess has co-hosted Strictly since its inception in 2004, first with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth and later with Claudia, who took over as a presenter in 2014.

In the days since their joint announcement, speculation has already begun over who could be in line to replace the duo, with a number of popular names having surfaced.

Here are just some of the potential candidates for the job…

Janette Manrara

The current host of the spin-off show It Takes Two seems like a good place to start, as that’s the role Claudia Winkleman held before taking over from Brucie as Tess’ co-presenter on the main show.

Janette Manrara has been part of the Strictly family since 2013, initially serving as a professional dancer before making the jump to presenting It Takes Two and the show’s official UK tour.

She is also married to Strictly pro Aljaž Škorjanec, which would definitely make for an interesting dynamic during the live shows, if nothing else.

Fleur East

Similarly, it’s worth keeping Janette’s co-host Fleur East in mind, alongside whom she has fronted It Takes Two since 2023.

Fleur’s Strictly story began in 2022, when she was a contestant on the show, making it all the way to the final, before becoming a companion show host the following year.

The former X Factor star’s other presenting credits have included Saturday Night Takeaway and the Hits Radio breakfast show, which she continues to co-present with James Barr and Will Best.

Zoe Ball

Another It Takes Two favourite, former Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball presented the Strictly companion show for a decade between 2011 and 2021, even stepping in to front the main show during Claudia’s brief absence in 2014.

Zoe is also a noted Strictly superfan, who competed on its third season back in 2005, and has even fronted its official tour on two occasions.

Bradley Walsh

Admittedly, Bradley Walsh is not someone with an existing Strictly connection, but if producers were looking for a Brucie-type for the show’s revamped presenting team, it seems like he’d be a sensible choice.

The host of The Chase would certainly be a safe pair of hands to see in Strictly’s next era, and he’s already proved to be a hit on other BBC Saturday night formats like the revivals of Blankety Blank and Gladiators, the latter of which he co-presents with his son Barney.

And speaking of safe pairs of hands…

Holly Willoughby

When considering potential replacements for Tess Daly, many........

© HuffPost