Strictly judges and pro dancers confirmed for 2026 series
There's some big changes this year!
Last updated 6 hours ago
There's been some uncertainty about the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing in recent weeks, with a number of well-known professional dancers quitting the show, following in the footsteps of hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
The likes of Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Michelle Tsiakkas and Gorka Márquez have all announced their departures in recent weeks, and now the BBC have confirmed which popular names WILL be returning.
Which professional dancers are returning?
Returning to the dance floor later this year are fan favourites including Dianne Buswell, Julian Caillon, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Vito Coppola.
Bosses have also announced there will be a selection of new professionals joining the show, but these names will be announced in due course.
Who are the judges?
Despite recent reports that there could be a shake-up on the judging panel for 2026, all four judges will return. That means fans will see Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley Ballas all feature.
The judges will once again be giving their expert view on the dances and delivering their all-important scores.
READ MORE: Your ultimate guide to Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Who are the new hosts?
Following the news that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman won't be returning to host the show, the BBC are yet to confirm their replacements, despite the rumour mill being in overdrive over the last few months.
According to BBC bosses, further plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026, including the new hosts, new professional dancers, and the celebrity cast of 2026, will be confirmed in due course.
Check out all of the famous faces rumoured to replace Tess and Claudia below:
Alison Hammond
With shows such as Bake Off, This Morning and For The Love Of Dogs under her belt, Alison Hammond certainly has the CV to present Strictly! She appeared on the show as a contestant back in 2014, where she was paired with the lovely Aljaž Škorjanec.
Despite previously hinting she was too occupied, Alison has seemingly made a u-turn about the job. During a chat with Metro, she said: "Do you think I would turn down Strictly if Strictly came along? Who would turn down Strictly! They'd be absolutely crazy. I was trying to back them off because ultimately everyone keeps putting my name in the mix and they're ruining my chances of even getting on to Strictly, d'you know what I mean?
"You all need to stop talking about it because I need to get in."
Fleur East
As a former Strictly finalist and current co-host of spin-off show It Takes Two, moving to the main show would be the perfect step-up for Hits Radio presenter Fleur East! That is what Claudia did after all...
Janette Manrara
Alongside Fleur, we think her It Takes Two co-host Janette Manrara would be the perfect pairing!
Rylan Clark
Rylan Clark's name has been doing the rounds ever since Tess and Claudia's announcement, with fans of the show begging him to take over!
Johannes Radebe
He's been part of the Strictly family since 2018, and now reports are rife that professional dancer Johannes Radebe could move to a presenting role!
Holly Willoughby
TV host Holly Willoughby has a bit of time on her hands now she doesn't present This Morning! Could she revive her presenting career by switching over the BBC for Strictly? According to former BBC One Controller Peter Fincham, he's been informed that it is 'with great confidence that Holly Willoughby will take over'.
Alan Carr
Following his win on The Celebrity Traitors, Alan Carr is now being tipped to host the series, with his odds at 5/1.
Bradley and Barney Walsh
After seeing father-and-son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh present on Gladiators, we think the pair would be great on Strictly!
Rosie and Chris Ramsay
Thanks to the success of their podcast (Sh---ed Married Annoyed), and their TV show (The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show), married couple Rosie and Chris have gained a huge following and would be the perfect pair to host Strictly. Chris even took part in the 17th series of the show back in 2019.
Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton
Stacey Dooley first appeared as a contestant on Strictly back in 2018, going on to win the show with professional dancer Kevin Clifton. Their friendship quickly blossomed into more and now they are proud parents to their daughter Minnie, so it would just be the perfect fairytale for the pair to return as hosts.
Alesha Dixon
She's already been a contestant and a judge on the show, so could presenter of Strictly be next on Alesha Dixon's list?! Alesha won the fifth series in 2007 and was a judge between 2009–2012, replacing Arlene Phillips.
Marvin and Rochelle Humes
KISS DJ Marvin Humes and his wife Rochelle have presented Strictly-themed episodes of their show The Hit List, and Rochelle took part in the Christmas special of Strictly back in 2013, so they are certainly no strangers to the show! We think they'd be the perfect replacements for Tess and Claudia.
Hannah Waddington
Actress, singer, theatre star, presenter, there really is no end to Hannah Waddington's talents! After she hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in 2023, Hannah has proved she can cope with the stress of live TV, making her the perfect candidate!
Matt and Emma Willis
Married couple Matt and Emma Willis are no strangers to presenting together, recently hosting Netflix series Love Is Blind: UK. Although Matt has turned down appearing as a contestant in the past, would he accept the job of presenter for Strictly?!
Dermot O'Leary
Dermot O'Leary is no stranger to presenting a hugely-successful Saturday night entertainment show... who can forget those spins on The X Factor back in the day! With the right co-host, we think Derm could be a huge success on the show.
Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year.