Strictly Come Dancing is the pinnacle of UK entertainment. The beloved dancing competition series has been a part of British culture for over 20 years, spawning a global franchise in the process. While Strictly entertains in the UK, Dancing With The Stars does the same in the US. And all over the world, we talking about Ballroom and Latin dancing.
That said, the 2026 series of Strictly will look very different, as longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have officially left the show after two decades - prompting the BBC to engineer an extensive search for new hosts capable of recreating their success. However, there are now rumors that another potential exit looms for the beloved series.
Strictly Head Judge Shirley Ballas reportedly lands DWTS spinoff role, leaving Strictly future unclear
Shirley Ballas is joining the wider Dancing With the Stars family, it seems. According to Deadline, the professional dancing legend will be one of three judges on upcoming spinoff series Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, which is reportedly set for Hulu. The series would focus on finding a new professional dancer for the main Dancing With The Stars show on ABC, with the winner going on to be a pro in the subsequent season. It would also be hosted by 2025 winner Robert Irwin, while Shirley would judge alongside her son, DWTS pro Mark Ballas, and a weekly guest judge.
Now, Shirley is currently the Head Judge on BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing and, up until now, she has been expected to return for the upcoming 2026 series. Having filled that role since Len Goodman's departure ahead of the 2017 series, she has become a fixture of the show and is known for her specific technical critiques, offering up intricate feedback and pointers for improvement to the celebrities each year.
Shirley is currently a part of the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour, which is making its way around the UK, alongside fellow judges Craig Revel Horwood and Anton DuBeke, so it was a safe bet that those three - along with fourth judge Motsi Mabuse - would be back for the next series. Naturally, as The Mirror reports, fans are concerned that Shirley might not return due to this new role. After all, Strictly veterans Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli eventually had to choose between judging on Strictly or the main DWTS series, and both eventually chose the latter.
However, there is a silver lining to these reports. Deadline reports that DWTS: The Next Pro is set to stream / air on Hulu this summer. As Strictly commences in the late summer / early fall, there's a pretty solid chance that Shirley will be able to do both. After all, if Len and Bruno could make both Strictly and DWTS work for two decades (in the same week!), there's little reason to believe that Shirley couldn't do the same if both of these projects are filmed at different times.
Needless to say, fans are hoping that Shirley will remain a part of Strictly for many more years to come. After all, the show is already facing an uphill battle this series due to the departures of Tess and Claudia as hosts. The BBC is currently pulling out all the stops to find a new hosting duo who could match that unique energy and spark that the pair brought to the show (with reports claiming that one of Zoe Ball or Emma Willis will be pair with Mel Giedroyc).
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One this fall.