Strictly Come Dancing's Emma Willis confirms surprising role for new hosting trio

With just a day to go until the new season of Strictly Come Dancing arrives where we'll get to see the incoming trio of hosts in action, the newcomers have teased that they will have an expanded role in the launch show.

That's because the three of them will be taking part, along with the professional dancers, celebrities and judges, in a big dance to kick off the season.

The performance was discussed on The One Show on Thursday (17 September), with incoming hosts Emma Willis, Johannes Rabede and Josh Widdicombe appearing on the sofa.

Willis said that taking part in the dance was "terrifying," while Radebe, who was a professional dancer on the show until this season, said it was "the easy part."

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Widdicombe added: "We had to do this in this big performance with all the dancers, all the celebrities, all the judges..."

Willis noted that "the judges directly behind us as we were dancing," while Widdicombe said: "We were waiting to film and I just felt [something] behind me, and it was Shirley going 'your posture!'"

Willis admitted that "it was amazing though," and that she had been practicing at home based on Rabede's instructions.

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"I like to be thorough so JoJo had been teaching us 'one two three four and five six seven cha cha cha', so I was literally going around the supermarket with the trolley going 'one two three cha cha cha five six seven'," she said. "And then in the garden as well, I made [husband] Matt learn it with me and we filmed it and I sent it to JoJo going 'is this right, is this okay?' I just wanted to do a good job!"

The new hosts on the mainline Strictly show aren't the only difference this time around, as spin-off It Takes Two is now being fronted by Ellie Taylor, while a brand-new spin-off on CBBC, titled Strictly Pro Dance Off, has also been announced.

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday 19 September at 7:25pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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Authors

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.