Sara Cox 'good fit' to co-host host Strictly Come Dancing
It has been claimed that bosses of Strictly Come Dancing are eyeing up Sara Cox to co-host the Latin and Ballroom dance competition because they see her as a "good fit", following the departure of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
Sara Cox is reportedly a "good fit" to co-host Strictly Come Dancing.
It has been claimed that the 51-year-old BBC Radio 2 DJ had been eyed up by the bosses of the corporation's Latin and Ballroom dance competition, following the departure of Claudia Winkleman, 54, and Tess Daly, 56, in December 2025.
A source told The Sun: "Fans of Sara's Radio 2 drivetime show know she has that off-the-cuff patter down to a tee and has a brilliant reputation as an honest, hardworking pro.
"Execs have mentioned her name as someone who would be a good fit for the job."
The speculation comes amid former Big Brother host Emma Willis, 49, and former BBC Radio 2 star Zoe Ball, 55, being in a "straight shoot-out" to host Strictly Come Dancing alongside a "female stand-up comedian".
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 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.
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."
A BBC spokesperson said plans for the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing will be announced "in due course".
