Vincent Simone 'surprised' by Josh Widdicombe being named new Strictly host
Vincent Simone has reacted to Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe being made the new presenters of Strictly Come Dancing.
Josh Widdicombe getting the Strictly Come Dancing hosting job alongside Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe came as a "big surprise" to Vincent Simone.
The BBC Latin and Ballroom dance show's ex-pro thought someone already closely connected to the programme, including "obvious decision" Rylan Clark, 37, would take over Tess Daly, 57, and Claudia Winkleman, 54, rather than the comic, 43.
Vincent - who "wasn’t expecting there to be three people involved" - told Paddy Power Bingo: "Josh Widdicombe was a big surprise.
"I’m a fan of British comedy, and I’ve seen him on different shows, but I hadn’t followed him as much as some of the bigger comedy names.
"We’d all been talking about people like Rylan and others already connected to the show, so I was expecting someone more involved with Strictly already.
"There have been loads of comedians on the show before, and that could have been easy to handle because they could joke about their own experiences. So, Josh was unexpected."
But 47-year-old Vincent - who quit as a pro on the programme in 2012 after six years - thinks Josh, who did the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special in 2024, has potential to go down well with viewers.
He said: "One thing that’s promising with Josh is that he’s quirky.
"He reminds me a little of Claudia Winkleman in that sense. Claudia was brilliant because she had this unique, quirky energy alongside Tess Daly’s classy style. Josh has something special about him, too, so now it’s a case of waiting to see if it works."
Vincent added that amid the "shock exits and huge emotional moments", Josh can "remind everybody that although it’s a dance competition, it’s also meant to be fun. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and people need to laugh and enjoy it as well".
The performer also "wasn’t expecting" bosses to select Johannes, and feared his transition from a pro to a presenter meant "we won’t see him as a professional dancer anymore".
But the star thinks it is "brilliant" to have Johannes - who joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2018, and insisted he is "definitely not hanging up my dancing shoes as yet" - as a co-host because he "knows all the pros, and he knows the environment".
For Vincent, Emma is "the safety net" amongst the trio because of knowing how "brilliant she is".
He added: "When I heard about Emma Willis, I thought, 'OK, she’s a must.' She’s safe, polite, friendly, and professional.
"I’ve met Emma a few times, and she immediately makes you feel comfortable. You don’t feel like you’re talking to a presenter at that level, but she’s like the girl next door. She has amazing energy, and she’s beautiful as well."
After learning about Emma's signing, Vincent "genuinely thought" Rylan - who previously fronted Strictly Come Dancing's weekday companion show, It Takes Two - would join her as they have "amazing chemistry", having worked on Big Brother together.
Although Vincent is excited by the "humongous change" to Strictly Come Dancing, he hopes Emma, Josh, and Johannes should not "try to match" their predecessors, Tess and Claudia, but "explore new avenues and bring new energy to the show".
Ultimately, Vincent's advice for the trio - who start their new jobs when the 2026 series starts in September - is to "be yourself".
He said: "Josh is famous for what he does, so he just needs to keep being himself.
"Johannes needs to remember he’s an amazing dancer who represents the professionals and understands the show from the inside.
"Emma Willis is already fantastic at what she does. I’m a huge fan of hers from Big Brother onwards because she’s handled difficult situations brilliantly and always comes across so naturally. She just needs to keep doing what she’s always done."
