In the low hum after a live segment on The One Show, angela scanlon rises from the presenter’s chair with a phone call to her agents already flagged: meetings with Strictly Come Dancing bosses have been under way in recent weeks. She is no stranger to the ballroom — she stood on that dance floor as a contestant in 2023 — and now conversations are moving from possibility to process.
Could Angela Scanlon be the new face of Strictly?
Yes — she is widely discussed inside the broadcaster as a leading candidate. The One Show presenter has been part of the flagship programme team since 2016 and is viewed by decision-makers as a familiar, internal option for the roles left vacant when Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down at the end of last year. Her own words underline the openness to the idea: “You know what, I am such a fan of the show and have been forever, I would certainly answer the call, ” Angela Scanlon, presenter of The One Show, has said.
What qualities are the prioritizing in a new host?
The search is seeking a mix of on-screen warmth and internal continuity. Executives have flagged a preference for presenters who have been nurtured within the organisation and who bring a regional voice to national Saturday-night television. chief content officer Kate Phillips is keen to have multiple internal options under consideration. Those involved in planning also want at least one new voice with a distinctive regional accent — a criterion that aligns with Angela Scanlon’s background from County Meath, Ireland — and an understanding of the programme’s demands, having already taken part as a contestant.
Who else is in the conversation and what comes next?
Other names mentioned in discussions include Zoe Ball and Alex Jones among female presenters, and Anton Du Beke has been suggested in coverage as a potential host among men. Public figures such as Alan Carr have also been linked in wider conversation about replacements. Organisers are moving toward practical evaluation: so-called “chemistry tests” are slated as the next stage of assessment, scheduled to take place after Easter. A spokesperson said, “Further news regarding the next series of Strictly Come Dancing will be announced in due course. “
The human side of the choice is also clear. Those who know the role warn of the toll it takes: the work is intensive in the weeks leading up to live shows, with long days on rehearsals and studio nights. The outgoing presenters closed their era emotionally; Claudia Winkleman, former co-presenter of Strictly Come Dancing, told viewers at her final bow, “Thank you again for watching us over the years, it has meant a world to us. There’s just one thing left to do. Come on, Tess. ” Tess Daly, former co-presenter, joined the farewell with a final shared moment on the dancefloor.
For the broadcaster the decision balances style with stability: promoting a presenter who already belongs to its roster, who understands the show’s rhythm and who can carry a live, national audience. Angela Scanlon’s candidacy fits those boxes in planners’ thinking and in public conversations about the show’s future.
Back in the studio where the evening’s segment closed, the small team packs away props and scripts while a calendar note for post-Easter chemistry tests sits quietly in a planner. For angela scanlon, the prospect of stepping from the One Show desk to the Strictly stage would close a circle that began on that dancefloor in 2023 — and, whether chosen or not, the meetings already underline how closely her work and the programme’s future have become entwined.
