Strictly Come Dancing enthusiasts were taken aback this week upon learning that hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be saying goodbye to the BBC show after the current season concludes. Daly has been a mainstay since the show’s inception in 2004, while Winkleman joined the presenting team full-time in 2014. The show is now gearing up for a change in leadership after over two decades, with several prominent figures being considered as potential replacements for the beloved duo.
Among the top contenders for the vacant positions are former Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two hosts Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark, along with well-known presenters Bradley Walsh, Holly Willoughby, Alison Hammond, and Roman Kemp. Additionally, there is speculation that former Lionesses star Alex Scott, with odds of 4/1 according to bookmakers, could step into either Daly or Winkleman’s shoes.
Scott, known for her successful soccer career with 140 caps for England, participated in Strictly in 2019, making history as the first female footballer on the show. She partnered with professional dancer Neil Jones, reaching the quarter-finals and finishing fifth, with Kelvin Fletcher from Emmerdale winning the glitterball trophy. Beyond her playing days, Scott transitioned into broadcasting, becoming the BBC’s first female World Cup pundit in 2018 and hosting popular shows like Football Focus, Match of the Day, and The One Show.
While Scott’s rise in broadcasting has been notable, she faced a public disagreement with former BBC colleague Dan Walker in 2023 during their time on Football Focus. Despite this, Scott’s achievements in the field were recognized with accolades, such as the Television Show of the Year award at the Sports Journalism Awards. The reported feud with Walker eventually simmered down, culminating in a reconciliatory moment at a charity event in 2023.
In the realm of entertainment, Scott’s potential involvement in Strictly coincides with rumors of her joining the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! following in the footsteps of her ex-England teammate and previous Queen of the Jungle, Jill Scott. The upcoming season’s contestants are speculated to include personalities like Kelly Brook and rapper Aitch.
Moreover, Kitbag is currently offering discounts of up to 70% on football kits and merchandise in its end-of-season sale, featuring products from Premier League clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur.