There's been a shake up to the Strictly It Takes Two presenters for 2023 and while Janette Manrara will be back to take fans through all the highs and lows of the contestants' dancing journey she's got a new co-host.
Excitement for this year's show has been building with fans asking who is doing Strictly Come Dancing 2023? And while it's not yet known when Strictly 2023 will start, it's expected to be a similar schedule to the 2022 series start.
With Anton Du Beke returning for another year after making his debut on the judging panel in 2021 and Jowita Przystal remaining as replacement for professional dancer Oti Mabuse announcing 2021 was her final series as a dancer.
Last year there were four new Strictly Come Dancing pros taking to the floor and there's plenty of dancing talent to keep viewers eager for more this autumn.
Though if two shows a week just isn’t enough, for its 21st anniversary series, there’s always Strictly’s companion show, Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, to see you through ahead of the weekend performances.
But who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters in 2023 and why did Rylan leave? We reveal all you need to know about the show’s changed presenting line-up...
Who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters 2023?
The Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two presenters in 2023 are Janette Manrara and Fleur East. Fans of the Strictly companion show will already be familiar with Janette from last year and the popular presenter is also known for her appearances on Strictly and also Morning Live. Janette departed the Strictly main show after the 2020 series, where she reached the final partnered with singer HRVY. Janette had danced on the show from 2013 before joining It Takes Two. She announced she is pregnant with her and Alijaz Skorjanec's 'miracle' baby in February this year.
Meanwhile, Fleur East, a former runner-up contestant on the show and runner-up of The X Factor 2014, was announced as Rylan's replacement after he announced he has quit It Takes Two giving reasons for leaving the show saying, he wanted to "explore what else life has for me".
Fleur will be sharing presenting duties with Janette across each week, and Fleur has shared her joy at the role. "'I couldn’t believe it, I still can't believe it. I was with my husband, I was away, and got a phone call from my agent. She did all the pleasantries and moments later was like, you’ve got It Takes Two."
Fleur admitted she struggled to keep it a secret until the official announcement. "I was trying to just get it out of my head. With the social video, I tried to find the biggest boots I could find. With Rylan gone, I have some big boots to fill.
"It’s a lot of relief because the stress is real. It’s going to be a lot of fun."
Rylan had previously hosted It Takes Two alongside former presenter Zoe Ball from 2019 onwards and before returning for 2022 and departing again in 2023.
Previously Rylan sparked concern with his absence from hosting his Radio 2 show and from social media over the summer of 2021. Reports later claimed that he and his husband Dan Neal are “to divorce”.
With many weeks still to come until we see this year’s winner of Strictly Come Dancing crowned, Janette and Fleur will have plenty more dancing, laughs and insights to share until the final.
Why was there a new Strictly It Takes Two presenter in 2021?
Janette Manrara stepped in alongside Rylan as the new It Takes Two presenter back in 2021 after his previous co-host Zoe Ball departed the show after 2020’s series. The popular TV and Radio presenter Zoe took over from Claudia Winkleman as host of the Strictly Come Dancing spin off show in 2011. Meanwhile Claudia went on to present the main show and has previously opened up about her imposter syndrome upon taking on this prestigious role.
However, despite capturing the hearts of fans across the nation and following in Claudia’s brilliant footsteps, Zoe took to Instagram in May 2021 to announce the sad news that she would be leaving after a decade on It Takes Two.
Posting a selection of sweet snaps from her time on the show, Zoe explained in her caption, ‘Dance lovers, after 10 joyous years I am waltzing away from It Takes Two. As a massive @bbcstrictly fan I have loved spending my Autumn teatimes with the celebrity dancers, the gorgeous & awesome pro dancers, the judges, my girl Vicky Gill, Rylan, Gethin & of course my main man Ian Waite.’
She also reflected upon how, despite her departure, she would continue to remain a fan of the show and cheer on this year’s line-up from home.
‘I will continue to support the Strictly family on the Breakfast Show & can’t wait to watch the Class Of 2021 from my sofa’, she explained, before going on to add that she would miss everyone involved ‘immensely’.
Meanwhile, Janette Manrara also announced her decision to step down from her former role as professional dancer on Strictly early 2021. During an interview with Hello! magazine, the talented dancer revealed that she and her husband and fellow pro dancer Aljaž Škorjanec, who quit in 2022, are hoping to start a family.
"Starting a family is something we have been talking about for a while now and dancing was something I really had to think about when it came to making any kind of decision," she said.
"The level of pressure that comes with being a professional on Strictly has now been lifted from my life, so I feel like I can breathe now when it comes to starting a family.”
Janette added, “We definitely want to be parents and this has given us an opportunity to really take a look at that part of our lives and see what we can do moving forward."
Why did Zoe Ball leave It Takes Two?
For anyone who was wondering who the Strictly It Takes Two presenters are in 2022, the question of why Zoe Ball left It Takes Two might also have been on your minds. In her original Instagram announcement, Zoe’s caption mentioned that it was, ‘Time now for some new cha cha challenges’. And this was something that the star reportedly mentioned once again during her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
As reported by Express.co.uk, Zoe told listeners that “walking away” from It Takes Two was “one of the hardest decisions” she’d ever had to make. She then reportedly went on to reveal more detail surrounding the reasons for her momentous decision.
“I love that show, you know how obsessed I am with Strictly,” she explained. “But after 10 years, sometimes you’ve got to give yourself some new challenges.”
She added, “Also I don’t get to see my Nell in the morning. So to be able to see her in the evening is such a lovely thing because she’s growing up so fast.”
Zoe’s co-parents daughter Nelly (11) and son Woody (20) with her former husband Norman Cook, AKA Fatboy Slim. With her work on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show meaning early starts, the evenings, when It Takes Two is filmed, will now be free for Zoe to spend with her children.
Strictly launch show airs later this year on BBC One.
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