The BBC is said to be “gutted” after Alan Carr reportedly pulled out of the race to host Strictly from 2026 onwards.
The comedian, 49, was reportedly the BBC’s top choice for the gig; however, prior commitments have now made it impossible for him to take on the job.
Alan Carr ‘pulls out’ of Strictly hosting gig
Alan was reportedly the BBC’s top choice to host Strictly from 2026 onwards, following Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s exits.
However, due to the star’s tour dates in 2027, he won’t be able to fully commit to the show, which has reportedly meant ruling himself out of hosting it.
Speaking to The Sun, a source said: “Alan is out of the Golden Ten possible hosts and won’t be taking part in the tests — the BBC are gutted. He was their favourite to take on one of the positions but he’s spoken with the BBC and basically he cannot move his tour.
“The dates which are scheduled for 2027 are not able to be rearranged and Alan has had to choose. The BBC understand his position but they are hugely disappointed.”
BBC pinning hopes on new favourite
The source then continued, revealing that Rylan Clark is now a frontrunner for the job.
Rylan, of course, was heavily involved with Strictly a few years back, hosting the spin-off show, It Takes Two, between 2019 and 2022.
“They thought Alan would be such a great choice for the job. Rylan has now replaced Alan as one of their top choices. It will come down to how Rylan gets on in the chemistry tests.”
ED! has contacted the BBC and Alan’s representatives for comment.
The BBC’s ‘Golden 10’
Earlier this month, it was reported that the BBC had a list of 10 celebrities who they have earmarked as potential hosts of the show when it returns in 2026.
In addition to Alan and Rylan, the list also includes Holly Willoughby, Amanda Holden, Alison Hammond, Bradley Walsh, Alex Jones, Rob Rinder, Angela Scanlon, and Zoe Ball.
The so-called Golden 10 will reportedly be put through their paces at a chemistry day in January.
“Replacing Claudia and Tess is a mammoth task. But the BBC have whittled down the talent to 10 people. They will go to a studio and be put into different pairs to see who works together best. It could be two women or two men paired, or a mix,” a source told The Sun.
“They will ultimately choose whoever has the best chemistry in each partnership.”
Strictly will return next year on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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