Strictly Come Dancing ‘favourite’ Zoe Ball confirms she won’t be its new presenter – and reveals “grief” at “rejection”

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So, it sounds like Zoe Ball won’t be hosting Strictly Come Dancing after all. She’s said she’s processing the disappointment of not getting the job, and it’s been a bit of a tough time dealing with that rejection. I always thought she’d be brilliant, but she’s clearly taking it in stride and moving on.

The presenter was a popular choice to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, and hinted at a big announcement she wasn’t yet allowed to reveal.

Jo Whiley’s Dig It podcast recently featured Alex Ball revealing she didn’t get a job she’d applied for. Ball explained she’s processed the disappointment, saying she’s gone through all the stages of grief and acceptance over the past few days.

While Ball was previously connected to the role and participated in the initial chemistry tests, she is no longer being considered.

I’ve seen some things popping up in the news, but honestly, I don’t think they have all the details yet. And as far as I know, the BBC hasn’t officially confirmed everything either.

In an upcoming podcast episode, the host explained they hadn’t received something they were expecting. However, they expressed confidence that if the person they believe has it is involved, everything will be alright and the new hosts will be excellent.

I’m really happy for them, and maybe we can discuss their situation more fully later on.

Emma Willis is currently the favorite to become the new host of Strictly Come Dancing. According to a source at The Sun, she’s been offered the job and is expected to accept. She impressed during screen tests, and the BBC is reportedly very enthusiastic about having her on the show.

Emma is a well-known and reliable presenter, so the BBC are confident she’ll do a great job. She’s also very popular with viewers and is perfectly suited for this position.

A BBC representative said that details about the 2026 season of Strictly Come Dancing will be announced later.

Ball shared that he was thrilled just to be considered for the presenting roles on Strictly, noting that many other talented people weren’t even in contention, according to BBC News.

I was happy to be involved in the show, and I really enjoyed getting one last chance to perform at a place I love. I’m also really excited for the whole team who are continuing with it.

With so much attention focused on this process, people are relieved that a decision has finally been reached – and that it’s the correct one.

We’re getting daily updates about the next season of Strictly Come Dancing, and the BBC just announced which professional dancers will be back for the show later this year.

Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, and Nikita Kuzmin are all returning to dance in the next season.

Aljaž Škorjanec, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Nancy Xu, and Kai Widdrington are also returning this time.

Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Vito Coppola, Alexis Warr, and Julian Caillon will also be participating. Julian and Alexis recently became professional members, joining the team for 2025.

Strictly Come Dancing 2026 begins on BBC One and iPlayer later this year.

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Authors

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah writes about entertainment for TopMob, covering everything from popular TV shows and reality competitions to important documentaries. Before joining TopMob, she worked at The Tab, where she focused on reality TV and celebrity news. She has a journalism degree.

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2026-05-12 12:34