Fleur East 'axed from Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two'
In 2023, Fleur East joined Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two as a co-presenter with Janette Manrara - who recently confirmed her exit from the programme.
Fleur East has reportedly been axed from Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two after two years.
Since 2023, the 38-year-old singer co-fronted the BBC Two weekday companion show for the corporation's Saturday night Latin and Ballroom dance competition with 42-year-old professional dancer Janette Manrara, who has also quit from the programme after having joined in 2021.
But it is believed Fleur will also not return for another series of It Takes Two - reportedly now a video podcast - with her and Janette's exits being part of a huge shake-up of Strictly Come Dancing, which returns in September.
An insider told The Sun: "Fleur has kept the news on the lowdown for as long as she could, only telling her close friends. She’s still in denial about it and was really upset by the decision.
"But it wasn’t personal. The BBC have decided to make a number of other changes in order to give the show a fresh new feel. Sadly for Fleur, she didn’t make the cut and was dropped."
Earlier this month, Janette - who was a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing from 2013 until 2020 - confirmed her exit from It Takes Two.
In a YouTube video, she told fans: "Strictly Come Dancing has now changed hugely. I'm no longer a part of It Takes Two or the main show.
"I'll still be involved in other ways. But that just means that I'm free to pursue and do many other projects that I've always wanted to do and never really thought about doing.
"Strictly is all I've known for the past 14 years, so it is a bit like, ‘Oh, we're going into a different world, a different space, how are we going to navigate that?’”
The TV presenter - who has been married to Strictly Come Dancing pro Aljaz Skorjanec, 36, since 2017 - said the "big shift and change" in her life will "hit when I come back from my holiday".
Strictly Come Dancing has undergone big changes since Tess Daly, 57, and Claudia Winkleman, 54, quit as co-hosts of the Saturday night dance competition at the end of the 2025 series in December.
Five new pros have signed up after Karen Hauer, 44, Gorka Marquez, 35, Nadiya Bychkova, and Luba Mushtuk, both 36, and Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, were all axed.
Emma Willis, 50, comedian Josh Widdicombe, 43, and 39-year-old Johannes Radebe - who has been a professional dancer on the programme since 2018 - replaced Tess and Claudia after the trio wowed the show's bosses during the presenter auditions in April.
In May, Fleur admitted she is "bothered" by not being considered for the prestigious Strictly Come Dancing host job.
She said on her Hits Radio Breakfast Show: "All right, I’m going to say it.
"I did say initially, after Tess and Claudia announced they were leaving Strictly, you know, it’s probably not going to happen [for me], and I’m happy for whoever gets it.
"And we were just talking about Emma Willis being announced, and I was like, 'Yeah, great, amazing,' and I’ve kind of lied to myself that I’d be all right with not doing it or not being considered for the job. But I’m kind of bothered…
"I think it’s OK to admit that. I think it’s OK to admit that being faced with the opportunity of such an incredible job. I mean, it’s an amazing show.
"I’ve not only had the privilege and pleasure of being on it, but then also hosting It Takes Two and being part of the family; it’s been an incredible job to be a part of.
"So, when you’re within touching distance of something like that, and even considering it for a minute, I never allowed myself to really go fully there, but I did think about it. I was like, 'That would be amazing.'"
Fleur - who was a finalist on Strictly Come Dancing with her professional dance partner Vito Coppola, 33, in 2022 - is "coming to terms" with not being considered for the role after hoping bosses might call her up for talks.
The Sax singer continued: "So yeah, I guess I have been lying to myself when I’ve been saying, 'I’m fine.' I’m coming to terms with it, but I feel I was OK before it was kind of confirmed that someone’s got the job.
"Because until it was confirmed, I was like, 'Well, they might call me one day. They might do all the tests, and they go, Actually, yeah, we haven’t seen Fleur. Let’s give her a little call.' But it’s gone to the right person."
Over the past few weeks, the BBC has started to reveal the celebrities who will be battling it out for the prestigious Glitterball Trophy.
So far, EastEnders icon Lacey Turner, 38, 29-year-old Love Island alum Dani Dyer - who withdrew from the 2025 series due to an ankle injury - Neighbours star Delta Goodrem, 41, and celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, 43, have all been confirmed.
