BBC bosses 'to interview Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly replacements'
Rylan Clark, Emma Willis, Tom Allen, Angela Scanlon and Alex Jones are auditioning for Strictly Come Dancing.
BBC bosses reportedly plan to hold Strictly Come Dancing presenter auditions this week.
Nine stars are in contention for the Strictly jobs, after Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly quit the hit TV series in 2025.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "It's not just about reading autocue. They'll be looking at how people work together and humour is a massive part of it. There's everything to play for."
The likes of Rylan Clark, Emma Willis, Tom Allen, Angela Scanlon and Alex Jones are all in contention for the Strictly roles. However, BBC bosses are said to be approaching the auditions with an open mind.
The insider shared: "They really want to bring the fun this year. It's all about chemistry and who clicks instantly and can keep the energy up live on air.
"They could stick with two female hosts as that's worked brilliantly. But they're also open to mixing it up.
"If Rylan and Tom Allen click, that could be a hilarious pairing. Equally, they could even introduce a third presenter to shake things up."
Tess and Claudia previously announced their decision to quit Strictly via a joint statement.
The co-hosts said: "We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream.
"We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day.
"We will cry when we say the last “keep dancing” but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza."
Sarah James, the executive producer of Strictly Come Dancing, also paid a glowing tribute to the co-hosts.
She said: "Tess and Claudia are quite simply the best duo of presenters in the business and we are so lucky to have had them as our Strictly anchors for so many years.
"They have championed countless celebrities on the dancefloor, led us all through two series during the pandemic but more importantly they have a deep and genuine bond with the show and every single member of the team. The Strictly Family is often referred to and these women are the matriarchs of that family."
