Holly Willoughby and Alex Jones were both spotted out and about on Wednesday after being linked to the hottest job in telly – the Strictly Come Dancing hosting gig.
Holly, 44, went make-up free as she left a nail salon appointment, dressed down in leggings and a baseball cap and looking ready for a dog walk with her £40 Cocopup carrier with a built-in poop bag dispenser.
Meanwhile The One Show star Alex, 48, headed out on an autumnal dog walk in Windsor Park with her black Labrador Scout.
Alex dressed down in jeans, a checked shirt and brown jacket as she enjoyed a morning off with her pooch.Â
Earlier this week ITV’s former golden girl Holly and BBC favourite Alex were both tipped to take over the Strictly Come Dancing.   Â
Former BBC One Controller Peter Fincham claims Holly, the former host of Dancing On Ice and This Morning, is being lined up to host the BBC’s flagship show after Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly announced their departure at the end of this series.
Holly Willoughby and Alex Jones were both spotted out and about Wednesday after being linked to the hottest job in telly – the Strictly Come Dancing hosting gigÂ
The One Show star Alex, 48, headed out on an autumnal dog walk in Windsor Park with her black Labrador Scout
Fincham has revealed all to the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden after hearing the news from a top industry insider.
‘My hairdresser also cuts the hair of a well-known channel controller,’ Fincham has spilled. ‘What’s said in Harry’s the hairdresser stays in Harry’s. But he says with great confidence that Holly Willoughby will take over.’
If the ‘well-known channel controller’ is correct, it would herald a dramatic return for Holly, 44, who quit This Morning in 2023 after 14 years, following intense public scrutiny.Â
Earlier that year, her long-time co-presenter Phillip Schofield resigned after admitting that, before leaving his wife, he had carried on an extramarital affair with a young male co-worker and had lied about it to ITV’s management, his colleagues, lawyers, agents and friends and family.
Since then, Holly has hosted Celebrity Bear Hunt with Bear Grylls, on Netflix, but it was not commissioned for a second series.
ITV announced in March that Dancing On Ice would be ‘rested’ in 2026, and that there are currently no plans for another series, paving the way for Holly to take on the rival BBC show.Â
She was first linked to the Strictly job by The Mail on Sunday in 2023. She is close to some of the corporation’s most senior executives courtesy of her husband Dan Baldwin, who produces major BBC programmes including Saturday night fixtures The Wheel and Gladiators.
If Holly does take the Strictly reins it’s thought bosses will reuite her with her close friend Bradley Walsh.
Claudia Winkleman, 53, and Tess Daly, 56, will exit Strictly at the end of the current series, with their final show airing on Christmas Day during the show’s special
Holly, 44, went make-up free as she left a nail salon appointment, dressed down in leggings, a padded coat and a baseball cap
The star looked ready for a dog walk with her £40 Cocopup bag with a built-in poop bag dispenser
Former BBC One Controller Peter Fincham claims Holly, the former host of Dancing On Ice and This Morning, is being lined up to host Strictly
If the ‘well-known channel controller’ is correct, it would herald a dramatic return for Holly, 44, who quit This Morning in 2023 after 14 years, following intense public scrutiny
The duo did a pilot back in 2019, Take Off With Holly & Bradley. A series was commissioned but was never made due to Covid.
They also worked together on ITV sports comedy panel game show Play To The Whistle which ran for two years from 2015.
Bradley is one of the biggest names in TV, hosting iconic quiz show The Chase as well as the reboot of BBC’s Gladiators with his son Barney.Â
And it’s thought his popularity with the older viewership of his quiz shows and the younger Gladiators demographic is the main draw for Strictly bosses.
But in a further twist to the tail, other insiders have claimed Bradley is being lined up to host alongside Alex.
TV insiders have revealed that talks are already taking place for the duo to appear in 2026. Â
A source told The Sun: ‘Alex and Bradley are both the favourites to take over from Tess and Claudia… they have been in the BBC’s sights for some time.
Alex dressed down in jeans, a checked shirt and brown jacket as she enjoyed a morning off with her pooch
It’s rumoured Holly could co-host with her close friend Bradley Walsh but in a further twist to the tail, other insiders have claimed Bradley is being lined up to host alongside Alex
Strictly Come Dancing is said to be in ‘final talks’ with Gladiators host Bradley Walsh
‘Bradley and Alex are both seen as accomplished broadcasters. He brings the wisecracks, and Alex is the calm head who knows how to handle live situations after 15 years of co-hosting The One Show.
‘Alex is a massive fan of Strictly, too, so this would be the dream gig for her.’
The insider confirmed that ‘nothing is set in stone yet’, but that discussions involving the pair had been ‘moving in a really positive direction’ so far. Â
As well as being a Strictly fan, having interviewed its stars, the professional dancers and the judges on The One Show, Alex also took to the dance floor in 2011.Â
She and professional dance partner James Jordan reached the semi-final of the show before they were eliminated in fifth place.Â
