Television presenter Emma Willis faces the prospect of going head-to-head with herself on prime-time television this autumn as she hosts the BBC's flagship entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing while remaining at the helm of ITV rival The Voice.
The clash comes as the new series of singing contest The Voice launched on ITV on Saturday at 7pm, while the BBC's revamped Strictly Come Dancing is scheduled to return on September 19. With Strictly typically starting live around 6.20pm, a direct transmission overlap between the two rival shows is now highly likely.
The BBC and ITV are Britain's two main television networks, and Saturday evening broadcast slots represent their most competitive battleground for viewing figures. Strictly Come Dancing, which features celebrities paired with professional dancers in a ballroom competition, has been a centerpiece of the BBC's autumn schedule for more than two decades.
Strictly presenting overhaul
Willis, 50, secured one of the most coveted presenting roles in British television after competing against top talent to join Strictly Come Dancing. Her appointment followed the departure of long-standing co-hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who quit the BBC show after leading it for years.
The BBC unveiled Willis in May as part of a revamped three-person presenting line-up. She will co-host the dance contest alongside 43-year-old comedian Josh Widdicombe and 39-year-old professional dancer Johannes Radebe.
Broadcaster scheduling clash
The scheduling dilemma arose for ITV executives because Willis had already filmed the current series of The Voice in 2025, prior to her appointment on Strictly. ITV held back the recorded episodes for more than a year before scheduling them for broadcast this autumn, causing frustration among the show's contestants.
ITV bosses are concerned that publicity for the current series of The Voice has been completely overshadowed by Willis's high-profile move to the BBC. The Mail on Sunday reported that although Willis fulfilled her contractual obligations to ITV, she was involved in production meetings and rehearsals for Strictly during launch week for The Voice.
Industry reaction
An industry insider told The Mail on Sunday that the situation has created significant friction behind the scenes. "It has been a headache for ITV, there is no doubt about it," the source said. "They are frustrated The Voice has been completely overshadowed. Nobody is talking about The Voice, they only want to discuss Strictly. It is all Emma is being asked about."
BBC executives are aware of the potential conflict but remain confident in their flagship programme's audience pull. A BBC insider said: "Strictly bosses can see that it is an awkward situation for Emma to be in. But they know that they are the bigger show and will attract many more viewers than The Voice."
Willis has hosted The Voice for 12 years, having first taken over presenting duties in 2014 when the talent competition was originally broadcast by the BBC before subsequently moving to ITV. Both series will continue airing on weekend television schedules throughout the autumn.
