Strictly Come Dancing favourite confirms exit from show after 13 years with BBC hit

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Janette Manrara, the host of Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, has announced she is leaving the show.

Janette Manrara began her time on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 as a professional dancer. Over eight seasons, she partnered with several celebrities, including Jake Wood, Peter Andre, Melvin Odoom, Aston Merrygold, and Dr Ranj Singh.

I have to say, while she didn’t win Strictly back in 2020 – HRVY took that one – she was a fantastic runner-up. What I really admire is how seamlessly she transitioned from contestant to host. She moved right over to It Takes Two, first alongside Rylan Clark and then Fleur East, and honestly, she’s been brilliant at it – a natural fit after being on the other side of the competition.

Janette Manrara has announced she’s leaving both Strictly Come Dancing and its spin-off show in a video posted to her YouTube channel, titled ‘The Reinvention’.

Dianne Buswell described a major change in her career, revealing she’s no longer involved with either ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ or its companion show, ‘It Takes Two’.

While I’m stepping back from this particular role, I’ll still contribute in other capacities. This frees me up to finally work on some personal projects I’ve always been interested in but haven’t had the time for.

She explained that after 14 years with Strictly, transitioning to something new felt like entering unfamiliar territory and figuring out how to adjust.

When TopMob reached out for a statement, the BBC didn’t offer any immediate details, but said they will announce plans for the 2026 season of Strictly Come Dancing later.

Fleur East, who co-hosts It Takes Two, hasn’t said anything publicly about whether she’ll continue with the show.

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Janette Manrara is leaving her role after reports earlier this year suggested both hosts of the Strictly Come Dancing spin-off show were going to be replaced. However, the BBC previously stated these reports were untrue.

Rumors are circulating that the upcoming season of the show following ‘It Takes Two,’ set to premiere in September, will feature significant changes and updates.

The show is expected to return as a video podcast, much like the extra content released for shows like The Traitors and The Apprentice.

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and iPlayer later this year.

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Authors

Phoebe Kowhai BarnesFreelance Writer

Phoebe Kowhai Barnes is a freelance writer specializing in pop culture and entertainment for TopMob. Before that, she was a Senior Assistant Editor at The Tab, where she oversaw their local team. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Nottingham.

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2026-06-05 14:06