Rylan Clark has announced he is leaving Strictly Come Dancing spin-off It Takes Two after four years co-hosting the show.
The BBC has said it will announce a new presenter for the BBC Two programme in due course. His replacement will likely be paired with former Strictly pro Janette Manrara, who joined the programme in 2021 replacing Zoe Ball.
Here is a look at the runners and riders who could replace Clark.
Aljaz Skorjanec
Slovenian pro dancer Skorjanec, who is married to Manrara, announced he was departing Strictly in March last year after nine years on the show. The 33-year-old has since been taking acting lessons and auditioning for roles to “trying to get his foot in the door” of Hollywood. This leaves the door open for him to join It Takes Two as co-host and create a husband and wife presenting team.
AJ Odudu
The TV presenter, 35, competed in the 2021 series of the programme but was forced to withdraw from the final after suffering a torn ligament. She also had to pull out of the live tour over the injury and was replaced by 2020 finalist Maisie Smith. Joining It Takes Two as co-host would see her overcome those disappointments with a return to the world of Strictly.
Stacey Dooley
Dooley, 36, was famed for her hard-hitting investigative documentaries before triumphing during the 2018 series of Strictly alongside her now-partner Kevin Clifton. She has since gone on to present an episode of Panorama, titled Stacey Meets The IS Brides, Stacey Dooley: Locked Up With The Lifers, and a programme titled Stalkers. The couple announced the arrival of their first child together, a daughter called Minnie, earlier this year.
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Ore Oduba
TV presenter and stage actor Oduba, 37, won the 14th series of Strictly in 2016 and has also served as the host of the show’s annual arena tour. This makes him well-placed to replace Rylan as co-host of It Takes Two.
Helen Skelton
Presenter Skelton, 39, has fronted rural and animal shows including Countryfile, Live: Summer On The Farm, This Week On The Farm and Big Week At The Zoo. She narrowly missed out on lifting the Glitterball trophy in 2022 with wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin beating her in the final. However, she was still a hit among viewers throughout the series and a return to the franchise could be on the cards.
Clara Amfo
One of the BBC’s most prominent presenters, Amfo has been a regular on Radio 1 and 1Xtra for a decade and also presented The Live Lounge. The 38-year-old was a contestant on the 2020 series of Strictly where she was partnered with Skorjanec and eliminated in week six. Popular among viewers, she could be in the running to secure a spot on It Takes Two.
Brendan Cole
A fan favourite for many years, New Zealand ballroom star Cole appeared in the first 15 series of the BBC One programme but his contract was not renewed for 2018. The 46-year-old served as a judge on his native country’s version of the show and he was touted as a potential judge on the UK edition over the years, although the role never materialised. A return to co-host It Takes Two would mark a surprising turn for the dancer.
