Huge BBC star throws name in ring to host Strictly: ‘I would love to do it’

A major BBC star has revealed their ambition to host Strictly Come Dancing in the wake of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s exit from the show.

The presenting pair stepped down last year after over a decade of hosting the competition together.

Since then, the hunt has been on for their replacements, with big names such as Alan Carr, Angela Scanlon and Christine Lampard all in contention.

One such figure who has been linked to the job is Radio 2 presenter, former It Takes Two host and one-time Strictly contestant Zoe Ball.

With 55-year-old Zoe vacating her Radio 2 show last December, some have speculated that this could be a sign of her having the big job already lined up.

Zoe has now weighed in herself, revealing that she’d ‘love’ to do Strictly.

Speaking to The Times, Zoe revealed that the Strictly job is ‘all anyone talks to me about.’

She added: ‘At the moment I am in mourning for Tess and Claud because I love those girls. I think everyone’s name is being thrown into the mix.

Describing the show as a ‘beast,’ she continued: ‘Obviously there’s part of me that would love to do it. But I will still be watching, whoever hosts it.’

Zoe previously appeared on Strictly as a contestant in 2005, finishing in third place with professional partner, Ian Waite.

That year’s competition was ultimately won by England cricketer Darren Gough, who became the first male celebrity to lift the Glitterball trophy.

She went on to host spin-off show It Takes Two for ten years, from 2011 to 2021.

‘It was such a hard decision, you know that show has been my life and 10 years on it has been such a joy,” she said on This Morning at the time.

She finished: ‘I’ll miss it so much but there comes a time you have to do new things.’

Last month, Zoe left her role as presenter on BBC Radio 2, with Emma Willis stepping into the breach as her successor.

‘I have loved being betwixt my dear friends Romesh (Ranganathan) and Rylan, and you know, I love you all to bits, but I’m not disappearing completely,’ she told listeners in December.

‘Obviously, it’ll be Christmas Crooners, and I’m doing an Eras show in the new year; more on that later.

‘But I am thrilled to tell you that you will be in the safest of hands, because there is a superwoman who is no stranger to you all, but this does mean that she will officially become a member of the Radio 2 family.’

Listing Emma’s achievements on The Voice, The Circle, Big Brother, Cooking With The Stars and Love Is Blind, Zoe issued a warm Radio 2 welcome to her replacement.

Prior to her exit, Zoe dodged questions from Romesh, who teased her Strictly job by asking: ‘Is it true you’re leaving your Saturday show because of…’ 

He then trailed off, before finishing: ‘Sally on traffic. It’s that. Let’s put that down now.’

Not being drawn into speculation, Zoe played along. ‘Sally and I have been in love with each other for a long time and we’ve decided we can’t possibly work in the same building anymore because the magnetism is too much,’ she joked.

Meanwhile, a TV insider told The Sun that the BBC is holding a series of chemistry tests to work out potential pairings.

‘They will go to a studio and be put into different pairs to see who works together best,’ the source said.

‘It could be two women or two men paired, or a mix. They will ultimately choose whoever has the best chemistry in each partnership.’

On who she could see herself co-hosting with, Zoe told The Times:’There are so many people who would be brilliant on it. Alan (Carr) and Amanda (Holden) have ruled themselves out, but you don’t know.

‘Rylan would kill it. No one’s mentioned Vern (as in Vernon Kay)! There’s a great variety.’

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