SHOCK: Strictly judge defends Tess and Claudia’s replacements after backlash
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Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe have been confirmed as the new Strictly judges (Image: Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA Wire)
Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has jumped in to defend the new hosts of the BBC One programme.
After months of speculation over who would be replacing Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly as presenters of Strictly, the BBC confirmed three stars would be stepping in.
TV legend Emma Willis will be joined by comedian Josh Widdicombe and Strictly pro Johannes Radebe, it’s been confirmed.
The unlikely trio have been announced after the likes of Rylan Clark, Zoe Ball and Angela Scanlon were thought to be in the running.
As excitement for the new series grows, with rumours swirling over which celebrities will be taking part, fans have shared their thoughts on the new hosts, with several suggesting it’s an “utterly bizarre” choice and that the BBC are taking a “gamble”.
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A Strictly Come Dancing judge has weighed in on the new presenting line-up (Image: PA)
However, head judge Shirley has now jumped in to defend Emma, Josh and Johannes.
“I think it was a surprise to everybody that it was three and not two, so now it’s where they fit and what those little changes are,” she told Metro.
“Of course, everybody loves JoJo. He’s just a well-loved figure. He’s been in Kinky Boots; he’s a professional dancer, but more than that, it’s half his character. He wears his heart on his sleeve, so it’s an absolute delight that we got him,” Shirley went on.
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Shirley Ballas threw her support behind the new trio, declaring “The BBC has got this right” (Image: PA)
She admitted that she wasn’t “overly familiar” with Josh, but considers him funny and a “charming chap”, while Emma is a “doll”.
She declared: “I think the BBC has really got this right.”
After being confirmed as one of the new hosts, Emma said she was a “huge fan” of the show, adding: “To be stepping into the Strictly ballroom is something I can’t quite comprehend.”
Josh meanwhile said he was “giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television”, while Johannes said taking part in the show in a new presenting role “is beyond anything I ever imagined”.
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Fans have been left shocked after the unlikely trio were announced (Image: Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA Wire)
Remarking on the trio, Strictly’s executive producer Sarah James said the new combination was “unexpected, but their magic was undeniable the moment they came together”.
Tess and Claudia announced they were quitting Strictly last year, saying their time on the show had been “an absolute dream” but it “feels like the right time” to leave.
They wrote: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.
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Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly announced they were stepping down from Strictly last year (Image: BBC)
“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day.
“We will cry when we say the last “keep dancing” but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”
Tess – who recently gained a Guinness World Record for the longest-serving host of the same dance competition TV show – began presenting Strictly from its inception in 2004, first with Sir Bruce Forsyth, and then with Claudia when she joined as a co-host in 2014.