How Strictly Come Dancing’s New Hosts Presenting The Show As A Trio Will Work

Since Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe were announced as the hosts of Strictly Come Dancing earlier this year, fans of the long-running BBC dancing show have been speculation as to exactly how they will navigate presenting the show as a trio.

Back in May, before the new presenting team was officially announced, The Sun suggested that “Josh and Emma will have a dynamic similar to Tess [Daly] and Claudia [Winkleman, the show’s outgoing hosts]”, suggesting that “he can bring the comedy they need like Claudia Winkelman did in the ‘Claudatorium’ while Emma is seen as the sensible one, like Tess Daly.”

The report also suggested that Johannes would take on a more “behind the scenes” role, comparable to a “roving reporter”.

However, on the latest episode of the podcast The Rest Is Entertainment, Strictly’s new hosts have had their say the rumours, and given fans a hint about what they should expect from the upcoming series.

First of all, Emma shot down the “backstage roving reporter” rumour, quickly declaring to Richard Osman: “That’s not a thing.”

While he won’t be a backstage reporter, Johannes promised there will still be “a little bit of prying and finding out the truth” from him.

Later in the interview, the former Big Brother host also confirmed that fans should expect some changes in the upcoming series when it comes to the presenting set-up, compared to its previous set-up with Tess and Claudia at the helm.

She explained: “There’s no ‘like for like’. So, no one’s kind of replacing anybody.

“And, at the minute, it’s all very kind of open. We’re having lots of production days where we go in, and we play around, and we’re kind of feeling each other out – well, they’re feeling us out really.”

“It’s going to be like total football,” Josh then quipped. “We’re going to be moving everywhere.”

Before being cast, the trio each had to go through a rigorous audition process for the hosting gig, which included starring in Strictly re-enactments and chemistry tests to ensure they would make the perfect on-screen match.

And it seems even producers hadn’t anticipated the “wild card” move of giving the job to a three-piece team, with Emma admitting that when she, Johannes and Josh had their first audition together, bosses didn’t even have a script prepared for them.

“It’s so much of a wild card, we don’t really have a script for you either,” she remembered the producers telling herself and her future co-hosts. “So we’re going to sit down, get it up on the screen and we’ll have a little tinker all together.”

Former Strictly pro Johannes revealed there is one thing he is concerned about when he moves off the ballroom floor and into a less competitive presenting role.

When Richard asked if Johannes if the gloves would be off should the judges get overly critical of the new crop of contestants, he teased that he was “waiting for that judges’ debrief”.

Emma reminded him: “Now that you’re on the other side, you have to be impartial.”

“You can say that again. I’m going to struggle,” he then admitted.

Johannes added that his new role is “very very exciting,” although he admitted he felt a “little bit of a tinge” of FOMO at seeing the pros in rehearsals.

Strictly Come Dancing will return to our screens in the autumn with 15 celebs from the world of sport, TV, music and beyond ready to compete for the coveted glitterball trophy.

Watch or listen to The Rest Is Entertainment wherever you get your podcasts.