New Strictly host makes honest admission about this year’s celebrity contestants

• Incoming Strictly Come Dancing host Emma Willis has admitted she had not heard of all the celebrity contestants competing in the 2026 series.
• Viewers have criticised the line-up as the weakest in the show's 24-series history, pointing to lesser-known male contestants like football influencer John Nellis.
• Willis defended the casting, stating that the show needs to appeal to multi-generational audiences by featuring stars from various media backgrounds.
• The 2026 series features a major overhaul, with Willis, Josh Widdicombe , and Johannes Radebe taking over hosting duties following Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's departures.
• The new presenting trio dismissed rumours that any of them would act as a backstage roving reporter or directly replicate the previous hosts' roles.

IN FULL

Strictly’s Emma Willis admits even she hadn’t heard of some celebs on 2026 line-up branded ‘weakest’ ever