Zoe Ball has become the first big name to throw her hat in the ring to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as host of Strictly Come Dancing, admitting the job would be “amazing.”
The 54-year-old presenter made the revelation on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley this week, after hearing the shock news that Tess and Claudia are both stepping down from the BBC’s flagship entertainment show.
“I thought it was such a shocker for everyone – my phone just went beep, beep! Everyone was asking why I didn’t tell them, but honestly, I had no idea!” Zoe recalled.
She praised the outgoing duo, saying they had been “brilliant” and “a tough act to follow,” before being asked the golden question: would she take the job? Zoe laughed, then admitted, “I think everyone would want that job. It’s the best Saturday night show – pure joy.”
The former It Takes Two host, who fronted the spin-off for ten years and even competed in Strictly herself back in 2005, finishing as runner-up with Ian Waite, is now one of the frontrunners to take over.
Her declaration comes just months after she questioned her decision to quit her £950,000-a-year Radio 2 Breakfast Show. Zoe confessed in August that she sometimes wonders if leaving was a mistake, joking that she “gave up work for her daughter’s GCSEs,” only to find the teen was “never home.”
“I said to her, ‘I gave up work for you!’ and she’s like, ‘Mum, I’m with my mates.’ So yes, I’ve questioned it,” she admitted.
During the podcast, Jo Whiley teased Zoe by saying she’d already placed a bet on her landing the Strictly gig, saying: “You’d do it best! You’ve got such passion for that show.”
Zoe, however, stayed modest, saying her “ship may have sailed” but added that actress Hannah Waddingham would also be an “amazing choice,” if her Hollywood schedule allowed.
Reflecting on Tess and Claudia’s legacy, Zoe said: “Those girls broke glass ceilings. Having two women leading a Saturday night show was unique and brilliant. They’ve made it theirs, and they should bow out with huge pride.”
With Tess and Claudia’s departure leaving a glittering gap in the BBC’s biggest entertainment slot, the pressure is now on the broadcaster to find the perfect replacement – and Zoe Ball’s name is right at the top of the list.
