Zoe Ball and Emma Willis 'battling it out to host Strictly Come Dancing'
It has been claimed that Zoe Ball and Emma Willis are battling it out to front Strictly Come Dancing alongside a "female stand-up comedian".
Zoe Ball and Emma Willis are reportedly in a "straight shoot-out" to host Strictly Come Dancing alongside a "female stand-up comedian".
It has been claimed that the BBC wants to continue with an all-female presenting team, following the success of Tess Daly, 56, and 54 year old Claudia Winkleman - who quit the Latin and Ballroom dance competition at the end of the 2025 series.
A source told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "It’s a straight shoot-out between Zoe, who is the front-runner, and Emma. Only one will get it, not both.
"The senior execs want a traditional presenter working alongside a more left-field person, a female stand-up comedian.
"It’s felt the humour Claudia brought to the show, particularly in her 'Claudatorium', needs to carry on."
Zoe, 55, quit her BBC Radio 2 Saturday show in December 2025, which caused speculation that she could be hosting Strictly Come Dancing later this year.
The star - who replaced Claudia in fronting the Strictly Come Dancing spin-off show It Takes Two from 2011 until 2021, and also hosted the live tour in 2011 and 2015 - recently admitted she would "love" to take Tess or Claudia's job.
In January, Zoe - who finished third on Strictly Come Dancing in 2005 with her 55-year-old professional dance partner, Ian Waite - told The Sunday Times' Style Magazine: "Obviously, there’s a part of me that would love to do it. But I will still be watching, whoever hosts."
However, her 87-year-old dad, TV personality Johnny Ball - who, with his 45-year-old professional dance partner, Iveta Lukosiute, finished last in the Latin and Ballroom dance competition in 2012 - said she was in the running to host Strictly Come Dancing.
And he claimed that a decision would be made in the spring.
In December 2025, Johnny told The Express: "People are coming to her, but it’s too early to say. I think she would love it, I think she would love the job because she took over from Claudia on It Takes Two, and if anything, she did a better job than Claudia."
Like Zoe, Emma, 49, has extensive TV presenting experience, having hosted the likes of Celebrity Big Brother and Love is Blind: UK.
A BBC spokesperson said plans for the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing will be announced "in due course".
