New Strictly hosts reject 'roving reporter'

Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe will not have fixed roles when they host the new series of Strictly Come Dancing. The trio, replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, dismissed reports of a structured format during an interview on The Rest is Entertainment podcast with Richard Osman.

Willis explicitly rejected the idea of Radebe having a specific backstage role. "There's definitely no backstage roving reporter, which is what has been reported quite a bit," she told the podcast. Instead, the hosts plan a fluid approach. Widdicombe compared their dynamic to 'Total Football', where players can take any role on the team. "We're going to be moving everywhere," he said.

The 'Wild Card' Casting Process

The decision to hire all three presenters together was a surprise. Willis described it as a "wild card decision" by the show's producers. She explained the lengthy and secretive audition process, which involved a final 'chemistry test' to see how the group interacted. Producers presented the trio idea as an experiment, admitting they did not have a script prepared. Willis called the four-month hiring process "the most cloak and dagger thing" she has ever experienced, noting the chemistry test was both "terrifying" and "brilliant".

The secrecy was extreme. Widdicombe revealed he had a cover story ready in case he was questioned. He told his taxi driver he was testing for a show called The Great Garden Glow Up.

Johannes Radebe's New Perspective

Johannes Radebe, a former professional dancer on the show, admitted his transition to hosting brings mixed feelings. He called the new role "very, very exciting" but confessed to feeling "a little bit of a tinge" of FOMO when seeing the professional dancers in rehearsals. His insider knowledge will inform his approach. "I will definitely be doing a little bit of prying and finding out the truth," Radebe said, citing his advantage of already knowing everyone on the show well.

He also joked about the challenge of being impartial now that he is no longer competing. When asked by Osman if he would intervene if the judges were overly critical, Radebe said he was "waiting for that judges' debrief".

The New Series Line-Up

The new series begins on Saturday 19 September. It will feature 15 celebrities competing, alongside the returning judging panel. The full list of contestants mentioned in the BBC report is below.

The judges for the upcoming series are Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke. During the podcast, the hosts joked about their on-screen dynamic. After Osman remarked that Willis and Radebe looked good together, Widdicombe acknowledged the challenge. "Do you know what I have realised? It's difficult when you're paired with two of the most striking people on television," he said. Osman then quipped that Widdicombe looked "a bit like a competition winner," a description Widdicombe accepted.