In a revelation that has set tongues wagging across TV land, Alan Carr and Amanda Holden have confirmed they were offered the coveted hosting roles on Strictly Come Dancing — following the departure of long-standing favourites Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
The comedian, 49, and the Britain’s Got Talent judge, 54, who currently co-host a popular BBC property renovation series together, admitted they were “so flattered” to be approached by BBC bosses — but ultimately turned the opportunity down.
The bombshell came as Alan and Amanda appeared on Table Manners, hosted by Jessie Ware and her mother Lennie Ware. During the chat, the hosts asked the question many viewers had been wondering: “You two aren’t going to present Strictly together?”
Alan didn’t hesitate.
“No — we said no ages ago,” he replied.
The revelation comes amid intense speculation over who will replace Claudia, 54, and Tess, 56, who stepped away from the BBC series after the most recent run ended last December. Since their announcement, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive, with fans eagerly guessing which faces might step into the iconic roles.
Amanda had already moved to shut down the rumours in December during her Heart Radio Breakfast show, after fans flooded in with calls urging the duo to take over.
“I want to say now that me and Alan are 100 per cent not doing Strictly,” she told listeners at the time. “We are so flattered to even be in that mix — but we’re not doing it.”
During the podcast appearance, Alan also dismissed chatter suggesting his much-loved Channel 4 show Alan Carr: Chatty Man could be revived. “It would be nice,” he said, “but no one’s approached me.”
Instead, the pair have been keeping busy filming the latest series of their BBC property show, Amanda & Alan’s Greek Job, which sees them transforming rundown homes in sun-soaked destinations. In the new run, the duo jetted to Corfu to tackle another ambitious renovation project.
One particularly emotional moment in the series sees Amanda reflecting on her past, including her divorce from comedian Les Dennis, during a heartfelt conversation with Alan. The presenter admitted regrets about “hurting people and causing chaos” as she looked back on the relationship.
Amanda and Les married in 1995 before splitting in 2002, with their divorce finalised the following year after her affair with actor Neil Morrissey. She later found happiness with music producer Chris Hughes, whom she married in 2008 and shares daughters Lexi, 19, and Holly, 13, with.
Alan, who divorced partner Paul Drayton in 2022, also opened up during the episode about learning to “know your worth” after years of feeling overlooked.
Meanwhile, hopes of Alan fronting Strictly were further dashed after it emerged his extensive 2027 tour — Have I Said Too Much? — clashes directly with the show’s filming schedule. With 90 dates planned across the UK and Ireland, the BBC reportedly accepted that he simply couldn’t make it work.
Sources now say the broadcaster is eyeing Rylan Clark, formerly of It Takes Two, as a leading contender. Other names said to have been in the mix include Bradley Walsh, Alex Jones, Zoe Ball, Holly Willoughby, Alison Hammond, and Angela Scanlon — all believed to be undergoing chemistry tests in various pairings.
In a joint statement announcing their exit last October, Tess and Claudia said they had always planned to leave together.
“Hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream,” they said. “Now feels like the right time. We’ll cry when we say our last ‘keep dancing’ — but we’ll still say it to each other at home… probably in tracksuit bottoms with pizza.”
As the BBC searches for its next hosting combination, one thing is clear: replacing Tess and Claudia is no small task — and even the most flattering offers don’t guarantee a yes.
