Strictly Come Dancing Katya Jones reveals plans for her own future as she discusses new host
Katya and Lewis scored the first 40 this yearStrictly Come Dancing professional Katya Jones has shared her thoughts on who she thinks should take over as the show’s new host – and revealed what she sees for her own future beyond the dancefloor.
This year marks Katya’s tenth anniversary on the BBC favourite, and while she’s still wowing viewers with her routines, she’s also starting to think about what comes next.
A few weeks ago, Katya and her celebrity partner Lewis Cope made Strictly history by earning the first perfect 40 of the series – and they’ve kept that momentum going ever since. But despite their success, Katya admitted she’s already imagining her next chapter.
When asked who she’d like to see as the new Strictly Come Dancing host, the dancer didn’t hesitate – she’s got one name firmly in mind.
Katya Jones on new Strictly Come Dancing host
Appearing on Loose Women earlier today (November 12), Katya was asked who she thought should be the new host of Strictly Come Dancing.
Last month it was revealed that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were stepping down from their hosting duties after 21 years. And since then there has been a lot of speculation on who will be taking their place.
But for Katya, she has one person she wants to do it. And that is former Strictly professional dancer and current It Takes Two host Janette Manrara.
Katya told the panel: “Naturally for me, it’s Janette, Janette Manrara. I think she has done it all. She has done it as a professional, and she is presenting It Takes Two. She knows what we are all going through.
“I think she would be the perfect Claudia [Winkleman]. Talking to us and feeling it with us. You know what it’s like when you come up and you have just done this amazing dance. It’s either gone well or it hasn’t gone well. You want someone to be there who understands it.”
Janette was a professional dancer on the BBC show from 2013 all the way to the end of the 2020 series, where she reached the final with HRVY. The following year, though, she returned as the It Takes Two host.
What’s next for Katya?
The Loose Women panel put Katya on the spot by suggesting she could be the perfect choice to step into the Strictly Come Dancing hosting role – after all, who understands the show better than one of its own pros?
They told her: “You could do it. You would be great.”
Katya replied: “I’m looking at the judges table. I judged Dancing With The Stars in Belgium last summer and I really, really thoroughly enjoyed that.
“I could feel what the contestants were feeling and going through. And I could understand how much hard work was going into everything. Because what people don’t realise is when you see the performance on Saturdays, that’s hours and hours of practice.”
But Katya quickly laughed off the idea, admitting she has something else in mind for her future. While she didn’t rule out presenting entirely, she hinted that her next move might take her in a very different direction from the Strictly ballroom.
This weekend, Lewis and Katya are dancing a Tango to the song 12 to 12 by Sombr.
