Comedian Ellie Taylor, 42, has been lined up to host Strictly: It Takes Two, according to a new report, as the BBC dance competition continues a sweeping overhaul ahead of its 2026 series.
Taylor would replace Fleur East and Janette Manrara, both of whom were axed from the spin-off show as part of this year’s major revamp, with the new series due to launch next month.
A source told The Sun: “Ellie was hugely popular with viewers when she appeared as a contestant on Strictly in 2022, and her infectious personality was also a hit with the senior production team.”
“She very much featured in the discussions when they were looking to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on the main show, and although she didn’t get that job, she remained in the executive team’s thoughts,” the source continued. “They were very keen to get her on It Takes Two which they felt was too boring and needed a major revamp. So she’s been hired for the It Takes Two hosting job.”
A representative for Taylor and the BBC have been contacted for comment.
Taylor appeared on Strictly as a contestant in 2022, where she was paired with professional dancer Johannes Radebe. The main show has also undergone a high-profile presenter shake-up, with Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman replaced by Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe.
Five New Pros Join the Dancefloor
The overhaul extends to the professional dancer lineup. Five new pros were officially unveiled last month and will make their debuts when the show returns this September: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby, and Mark Karmalita.
Isaeva, who is Ukrainian-born but grew up in Italy, is ranked among the world’s top 21 Latin dancers and has reached top ten positions at the European Latin Championships in Blackpool and the Dutch Open’s World Latin Dance Competition. She said: “I’ve been living and breathing dance for as long as I can remember, so joining the Strictly family is a true honour.”
Priori, born in Rome, won the Junior Italian 10-Dance Championship before becoming a Rising Star Finalist at both the UK Open and the Dutch Open. He said: “Saying yes to Strictly was an easy decision. Dance has always been my way of expressing myself.”
Monametsi is an undefeated South African Latin Champion who first discovered dance through the South African version of Strictly Come Dancing. She has since won the TV dance competition Dance Yo Dumo as part of Urban Wave and has performed on The Masked Singer SA. “This moment is bigger than me,” she said. “Representing South Africa on the Strictly Come Dancing stage is far more than a career milestone.”
Ingoldsby, from Bournemouth, is a UK National Ballroom Champion and eight-time Amateur 10-Dance World Champion who was also previously crowned World Rising Star and Under 21 World Ballroom Champion. As a child she played Annie in the West End and made her television debut on Strictly: It Takes Two before appearing in a group number on the main show’s Christmas special. “Joining Strictly as a professional dancer is truly a dream come true,” she said.
Karmalita is a two-time National Latin Champion from Canada and a Canadian Championship winner and finalist across multiple age groups. “Joining Strictly feels incredibly special,” he said. “I can’t wait to bring my own style, connect with the audience, and enjoy every moment.”
TikTok Followers a Factor in Cast Cuts
The five new pros join a returning cast that includes Alexis Warr, Aljaž Škorjanec, Amy Dowden, Dianne Buswell, Katya Jones, Kai Widdrington, and Nikita Kuzmin, among others. Eight celebrity contestants have so far been announced, including Will Best, Jaime Winstone, and Delta Goodrem.
Meanwhile, Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas, Luba Mushtuk, and Gorka Marquez have all been axed. It is understood that social media following size played a role in the decisions, as the series attempts to attract a younger audience. Bychkova, who has around 19,000 followers, was cut while Buswell, with roughly 966,000 followers, kept her place. Hauer, Strictly’s longest-serving female dancer, had around 9,000 followers, while newcomer Warr has approximately 190,000.
