Comedian Ellie Taylor 'lined up to be the new Strictly: It Takes Two host' after Fleur East and Janette Manrara were axed in huge show revamp

Comedian Ellie Taylor has been lined up to be the new Strictly: It Takes Two host, a new report claims.

The star, 42, will reportedly replace Fleur East and Janette Manrara who were axed from the spin-off in this year's huge show revamp ahead of next month's new series.

Ellie appeared on the show as a contestant herself back in 2022 and was paired with professional dancer Johannes Radebe.

The show has had a huge overhaul ahead of the 2026 series as main presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been replaced by Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe, while several pros have been given the boot. 

A source has told The Sun: 'Ellie was hugely popular with viewers when she appeared as a contestant on Strictly in 2022, and her infectious personality was also a hit with the senior production team.

'She very much featured in the discussions when they were looking to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on the main show, and although she didn't get that job, she remained in the executive team's thoughts.

'They were very keen to get her on It Takes Two which they felt was too boring and needed a major revamp. So she's been hired for the It Takes Two hosting job.'

A representative for Ellie and the BBC have been contacted for comment. 

It comes after last month Strictly announced that five new professional dancers will join the hit series when it returns this September.

The quintet were officially unveiled in a social media post, after a string of pros were axed from the lineup in a cast bloodbath earlier this year.

Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita will make their debut on the Strictly dancefloor this autumn.

So far, eight of this year's celebrity contestants have been revealed, including Will Best, Jaime Winstone and Delta Goodrem.

The new pros will join returning stars Alexis Warr, Aljaž Škorjanec, Amy Dowden, Carlos Gu, Dianne Buswell, Jowita Przystal, Julian Caillon, Kai Widdrington, Katya Jones, Lauren Oakley, Nancy Xu, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, and Vito Coppola.

Hailing from Ukraine but growing up in Italy, Aleksandra Isaeva is ranked in the world's top 21 Latin dancers and has reached top ten positions at both the European Latin Championships in Blackpool and the Dutch Open's World Latin Dance Competition.

She said: 'I've been living and breathing dance for as long as I can remember, so joining the Strictly family is a true honour. 

'The thought of learning from and sharing this experience with such extraordinary dancers, choreographers and the whole Strictly family still gives me goosebumps. 

'I can't wait to pour my whole heart into every performance, inspire others and be inspired along the way!'

Aleksandra will join Strictly with her dance partner Cristian Priori. 

Born in Rome, Cristian achieved dance success from a young age as the Junior Italian 10-Dance Champion, before going on to become a Rising Star Finalist at both the UK Open and the Dutch Open. 

Cristian said: 'Saying yes to Strictly was an easy decision. Dance has always been my way of expressing myself, and I'm so excited to begin this new chapter. 

'I'm ready to give my all, enjoy every moment of this amazing journey, and embrace everything it has to offer. Strictly is where passion, hard work and entertainment come together, so being part of it is a real privilege.'

Lethabo Monametsi is an undefeated South African Latin Champion who first fell in love with dance after watching the South African version of Strictly Come Dancing.

No stranger to television, she won the TV dance competition Dance Yo Dumo as a member of Urban Wave and has since performed as a dancer on The Masked Singer SA.

She said: 'This moment is bigger than me. I step into it with profound gratitude and deep humility, knowing it is the culmination of years of unwavering love, belief, and support from the people who dared to dream alongside me. 

'Representing South Africa on the Strictly Come Dancing stage is far more than a career milestone, it is an honour beyond words, and I cannot wait to embrace every extraordinary moment of this journey.'

Maddie Ingoldsby is a UK National Ballroom Champion and eight-time Amateur 10-Dance World Champion from Bournemouth, who was previously also crowned World Rising Star and Under 21 World Ballroom Champion. 

As a child Maddie played Annie in the West End, and made her television debut on Strictly: It Takes Two – before going on to perform in a Pros' group number on the main show's Christmas special. 

She said: 'Joining Strictly as a professional dancer is truly a dream come true. My heart is so full of gratitude, excitement, and anticipation as I begin this incredible new chapter. 

'Dance has always been where I feel most myself, and to now share my heart, my creativity, and my love for it on a show that has inspired millions is an honour beyond words.' 

Mark Karmalita is a two-time National Latin Champion in his native Canada, and a Canadian Championship winner and finalist across multiple age groups. 

He said: 'Joining Strictly feels incredibly special, and I'm honoured to be stepping into a ballroom with so much history and heart. 

'I can't wait to bring my own style, connect with the audience, and enjoy every moment along the way.'

Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios says: 'Aleksandra, Cristian, Lethabo, Maddie and Mark are all outstanding world class dancers and we can't wait to see them shine under the Strictly glitterball this September.' 

Jo Wallace, Senior Commissioning Editor, BBC Entertainment says: 'It's so exciting to welcome the brilliantly talented Aleksandra, Cristian, Lethabo, Maddie and Mark. 

'As if the return of Strictly wasn't shaping up to be fab-u-lous enough already, they're five more reasons why the new series is not to be missed.'

In recent months Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, 44, Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, Luba Mushtuk, 36, and Gorka Marquez, 35, have all been given the boot. 

It's understood that those with bigger online followings have been chosen over dancers who are not so TikTok friendly as the series tries desperately to attract a younger audience.

One example appears to be axed Nadiya Bychkova, who boasts 19,000 followers, while Dianne Buswell, with 966,000 followers, has kept her place in the line-up.

Karen Hauer, who was Strictly's longest-serving female dancer, is a similar story with her 9,000 followers while safe newcomer Alexis Warr has a whopping 190,000.