The Rest Is Entertainment - Strictly Hosts Exclusive: The Biggest Job In TV?

Episode Date: September 9, 2026

Richard Osman is joined by the new Strictly Come Dancing hosts - Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe. They answer your questions on the audition process, their presenting roles, and compete in a quickfire Strictly quiz. The Rest is Entertainment is brought to you by Octopus Energy, Britain's most awarded energy supplier. Sponsored by Lloyds. Looking for extra value from your spending? You can bank on Lloyds to help your money go further. Search Lloyds Rewards in your app. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com Video Editor: Charlie Rodwell, Kieron Leslie & Adam Thornton Camera Ops: Charlie Rodwell, Kieron Leslie & Bruno Di Castri Assistant Producer: Imee Marriott Senior Producer: Joey McCarthy Social Producer: Emma Jackson Exec Producer: Ami Bennett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Hello, gang, welcome along to this very special QA episode of The Restors Entertainment. I'm Richard Osman, and I'm currently in a basement room at the BBC, waiting for the three brand new presenters of Strictly, Johannes Radabay, Emma Willis, and Josh Whitacom. Got loads of your questions. I've got loads of questions of my own. Got little quiz for them as well, a little Strictly Superfans quiz. And essentially we're just going to be asking them about this gig, which is the biggest show on TV. And, you know, they're the new faces of it. You know, Tess and Claudia have done it for years and years and years.

So how does that feel? what was the process that went into them getting the job, you know, all of that stuff. And those are your questions as well. So they'll be through that door any moments. Enjoy. Johannes, Emma, Josh. You look good together, I think. Does it work for you?

Well, you know what? You and Johannes look good together. Do you know what? I have realised it's difficult when you're paired with, well, two of the most kind of striking people on television. Yes, exactly. Oh yeah, look, I've worked with that as under arms. But you do look a little bit like a competition winner. I'll say that.

I know, I know. It feels the opposite to the last leg, doesn't it? This doesn't just. Lovely to have all three of you here. Can I start with a question from me? So we all understand how strictly used to be presented. We got tests on the floor next to the judges. We got Claudia up in the crow's nest talking to the dancers.

The claudatorium. That's good. What is the roles of, what are the roles of you three going to? to be in this series. There's no like like for like so no one's kind of replacing anybody. And at the minute, it's all very kind of open, isn't it? We have in lots of like production days where we go in and we play around and we're kind of feeling each other out.

Well, they're feeling us out really. It's going to be like total football, Richard. We're going to be moving everywhere. There's definitely no backstage arriving reporter, which is what has been reported. quite a bit. That's not a thing. Yes, because you would think that that would be perfect for Jojo, right? Where did that come from? I want to know. Well, because the dancers all know you and love you. So you can ask them questions

that other people wouldn't be able to ask them, I think, because they're friends of yours. Would you be doing that? Absolutely. I think, yes, it calls for it, isn't it? A little bit of prying and finding out the truth. There is no one that knows this show, for the three of us, better than him. So, I mean, he's very well-versed to be able to dig in. Oh, I will be asking most of my questions to Jojo. Do not. Don't you worry about that.

But are you doing an awful lot of prep before we see the first show, a lot of kind of chemistry staff, a lot of chatting away? Again, yeah, seeing what works, what doesn't work. We've kind of had a chemistry from the moment the three of us were in a room, which was kind of wild. And so we're not, like, worrying too much about, like, we're not doing an away day, we all, you know, blindfold each other and drive a Land Rover,

all those things they do, you know. Oh, by the way, I would watch that as one of the VTs. I would watch that. So we're not going to do Lacey Turner's VT this week. What we are going to do is blindfold. What I'd love to see is you take Josh away blindfold him. The two of you go for lunch. I'm just sitting in the Land Rover.

Guys, guys. I think Richard needs to come on and be like consultant VT, Oh my God, I'd love to be consultant VT producer. But how are you feeling? It must be a little bit nervous. A big deal. You know, it's such a loved show. Jojo, how are you feeling about it all?

Honestly, I'm very excited, Richard, but I do think that it needs to start now. I keep saying to everybody, I'm just like, what are we doing, right? Well, we've got the host, we've got cameras. We've got a dancer. We've got a dancer. No, I think particularly for me, I mean, this is quite new and a very, very, very exciting. I think just to be given the opportunity to speak to the show and direct it's magic. I mean, I was just saying that the pros are in rehearsals, two weeks, three weeks now

in rehearsals. And I felt a little bit of a tinge. I was like, oh. And I think, you know what it is, is because I know what they're going through. I know what they, you know, the plans they know. Have you got FOMO? You know what? I'm not going to admit.

Oh, well, you're not enough for you. Don't even say that. I'm not going to admit it. Because you know. You know. You can't say, I'm not going to admit it. Yeah. That's not.

Just say it's not true. You could just teach us how to dance. You know what? That is the plan. I mean, that is the plan, right? Come the launch show. Some of us already know, but I shall go into that. Actually, we do have a question here from Debbie Edwards, who says, Jojo, we hope very much that you're going to be dancing on this show.

But are we going to be seeing Emma and Josh dancing as well? You know what was lovely when we first met is that Emma was like, I cannot wait to embrace it all. I want to dress up. So the fact that we've got people that. willing to go all the way I'm like you are but Josh you need to start warming I've been on it once and I dressed as a penguin so I don't think I've got many lines but that we need to worry about me across yeah do you think Josh will do X- yes I think you will listen we need to start though because yeah we saw we saw the

now we're all back from holiday yeah yeah we can we can get cracking yeah yeah see the lunch dance Josh I've seen the launch dance somebody show you that so we went off the group WhatsApp last night and we just went to each other. Yeah. We cut you out. Absolutely. So last night,

we got sent a clip of the opening dance number of all the new dancers and the remaining dancers. Oh, really? But also it reveals the three new hosts and we have to dance as well. You've got to dance. Wow. She and Josh got sent the video and then we went direct to each other off the group Watson.

We were like, what are we going to do? Because this is going to be hideous. Penguin, I presume. No, well, only on special occasions. Polar Bear. Polar Bear. What's the name of the Strictly Group Chat?

OMG. OMG. Yeah, I bet it is. We were like, how have we got this? Genuinely, Emma, I can see how you got it. We have a question about that. Mark G says, Emma, Emma, you presented some of the biggest shows on British television. He's done the voice.

Love is blind, big brother. Prize Island. Prize Island. Prize Island. That's weird. Let's not forget that one. Emma and I worked together. It's weird they haven't bought that back.

Isn't it? Isn't it? Still waiting to hear from my TV, aren't we? They just put it on hold, didn't they? I think they put it on hold. I think they're waiting to see how this goes. I once did a show where it did four episodes and then the channel told us it was being rested, which was absolutely rested.

Wow. It's not tired. We've done four. Yeah. It's not a turkey at Christmas. Hold on. It is. Yeah.

At the end of March's question is, does strictly feel. different to you? I think because I'm, you know, I've done a lot of reality TV. I think it feels like I've got like a full house now. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. But it is very, it's the kind of pinnacle, isn't it, of kind of Saturday night. I always feel like, you know it's Christmas when Strictly's on, even though it's

September. We're on our way. So it does feel like, I mean, it's such a special show and it is such a well-loved show. And I love that it's kind of. multi-generational because I watch it with my kids and I watch it with my parents and and I've watched it since it started so it does fit it was one of those that I kind of thought like one I never thought that show would ever be available to do and when it did and they asked me to come in I thought I'm so blown away that I'm even

in the mix yeah I don't care if I get it or not I'm just really like really happy that they've considered yeah what were those nerves like when there when that call came in and you went in for your first talk Yeah, Josh, you might be a better question. Personal answer. So I got an email. No, my agent got an email. It's usually how it works.

Saying, could you stop contact? Yes. They're saying, no, that show is still rested. I will tell you if that changes. It's exhausted. And she phoned me up and she was like, strictly, do you want to go in for a chat? I was like, yeah, of course.

And then we went and we met the producers. and it was a wild kind of experience. I can vividly remember pacing my hotel room before even that meeting. Yeah. Yeah. And then you go and you just have a coffee and we've all been in these kind of TV meetings

where the first kind of 20 minutes isn't even about it. And you're like, when's this going to start? Oh, God, yeah. And there is part of you thinking, imagine if they just go and offer me the job. Do you know what I mean? Because you don't know what the process is. But it was a long process, wasn't it?

Oh, yeah. Then it was like, do you want to come back in for a chemistry test? Yes. Oh, my God. That's like GCSE nightmare. Yeah, yeah. Not that sort of chemistry. Not that sort of chemistry.

Yeah. Do I bring my own bunsen burner? Yes. But I don't think it's fair to say who we did our original chemistry tests with. But a long process and you both went through that as well. You came in a number of times, did it in different ways with different people. Was there a point where the three? of you were in the room together for the first time.

It was weird because the whole process was maybe like four, four months long. I think I got a call later. No, I mean, I mean from like from the call to like the first in the room when you're going and have coffee or breakfast and then it's like, oh, okay. We're going to start. Wow. Wow. Well, well, well.

I think I might have bought the breakfast to get them there. And then they started doing the chemistry test, which were the most cloak and dagger thing I have ever, ever been a part of. The fact that there was a chemistry test, I mean, it's been a long time since I've even seen, Heardle, been in a chemistry test. And it was terrifying. So terrifying. But honestly, brilliant. Like, why don't they just do them more? Let's say some of the cloak and dagger things.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yes, go on. So tell us some of the hoops you have. to jump through. So, well, it wasn't even hoops. It was, it was a bit like traitors, to be honest. Yeah, it was. Well, that's clook and dagger.

Yeah. Certainly very cloak, isn't it? So we got told that we were going to do a chemistry test the day and the time. Can I just, for viewers and listeners who don't know what a chemistry test is, because in just case of they're confused, it's when you get like two actors or two presenters in a room, you put the camera on them and sometimes magic happens and you work out that they work well together. I know lots of people know.

what a chemistry test is, but just in case everyone thinks we absolutely lost our minds. And they're thinking, that's a really, really weird way to audition people. And then, afternoon, it was algebra. Now we understand why I got the job. Exactly. So, Emma, sorry. So all we knew was the day that we were going and the time that we had to be there and that a car would come and pick us up, but we had no idea.

We didn't know the location. No idea of location. You had to find the car. So you didn't even know where you're going? No, we didn't know where we're going. I still don't really know where it was. No, I know. And when we got there, it was a studio that was maybe twice the size of this room.

It was like Blue Peter does strictly. Yeah. Oh, can I just say you missed one of the best details, which we were told, if the driver asked, he'd been told it was a show called... About gardening. About gardening, called The Great Garden Glow Up. So they'd created a whole new...

show. Yeah. Yeah. Great Garden Glow Up. They said. For the cab drivers. And I did feel like saying to my agent, I wouldn't have gone to the Great Garden Globe Chemistry Test.

I am in the back of the car and there is a cabby who is judging me because he thinks I would present a show called The Great Garden Glow Up. Jojo would be such a weird choice for the Great Garden Clow Up. It would literally be, in 45 minutes of digging and then you come in with like glitter. But also, no garden would ever look as good as you. No, my love, you see that. You're saying that. Right.

There's all the cloak and dagger. And then you turn up, you walk in the studio, production team are there. There's a couple of cameras. There's a table with like a sparkly tablecloth. Motsey, Anton, a researcher who's another judge. Pretend to be Craig. Right.

We're literally going to pretend to do strictly. Shout out to the producer Joe who did the best Craig Revel Hallward impression I've ever seen. Wow. And every time. ripped it like really you could sit in that seat anytime Craig's are real and then you went and sat in a room yeah and they're like okay terrified right even though it's not real more scared than it is for live television and then you wait for the person to walk in and you don't know it's going to be until you see them so like your co-host you don't you have no idea who's about to walk through

who who were you the first in Emma well me and Josh were in the room oh yeah this was the second Yeah, in the final part of it actually. Yeah. Yeah. So we did our, separately. So we all did chemistry tests with other people. Yes. On the early week.

On the early week. And then late on in the week when they did the recalls, they were like, this is a wild card. But welcome. When they did the recall, so I finished my first chemistry test. Yeah. And I was in the middle of my tour. So I had to fly to Northern Ireland. And they were like, oh, you're flying to Northern Ireland?

you're going to be back? And I just thought they were being interested, but they had decided to bring, so then I had to get an early flight back from Northern Ireland. Couldn't tell anyone why. Couldn't tell anyone why. Even the pilot thought that you were going to go into the great garden and glow up. That garden needs a glow up, I said. Yes. Step on it. You parachute out into a suburban backyard. I get there first. Yeah. And I'm in this room and I'm literally pacing and his tiny dressing room. And then I can hear voices coming from the other door through the wall. And I'm like, I don't want to hear the production.

Because I don't know if they'll be talking about another camera. So I put my headphones in. It turned out it was just an office next door that were talking about their lunch. And then they're like, we're going to bring your partner in. And I'm getting goosebumps. This is like love is blind. It was a collision of worlds for me. honestly.

So Josh, you're sitting there. They say that you're going to bring your apartment. I couldn't sit down. There's a closed door, presumably. Yeah. In your head, did you have an idea of, don't say who you thought it might be,

did you have an idea of who might be there? Yeah. Well, no. I thought you think, okay, you know who, you've seen the papers. So you presume those are the people in the mix. And so you think, oh, it's probably one of these people. Do you know what I mean?

Yeah. And then Jojo walked in. I'd say both of us thought, that's a weird con. There wasn't. There wasn't moving to that. It was like, what is going on here? You know, because we didn't know that the three of us were going to end up in the room. It makes a lot more sense later, isn't it?

But at that point, the two of you are going, there must be another room where there's two other hosts. I thought that was it, actually. I thought, okay, they're probably trying something new. Yeah. So we got the two of you. How did it go from there, Jojo? I can't tell you, Richard. I mean, we didn't take long, but we were just like, I think for a second, we were like,

oh, so who did you do it with? And then I did it with Emma. Emma was one of the people that I was. Our chemistry test was, our first one. Yeah. Was with Emma. Which was absolutely lovely for me. Yeah.

Richard, I don't know what I was doing in that room. I kept on saying, are you all sure about this? I'd love it if that becomes your catchphrase on the series. But that is the thing. And we stood in that room and we told we spoke. And then I think it was Sarajeams for Nicola that came in to explain to us that there's a wild card. They're thinking of bringing the three of us in. And we were like, who's the third one?

And out appeared this wonderful woman. And it was Anton Dupac. Full drag. Full drag. Because I also admire. I also love you so much. I was just like, if she's here, maybe, maybe just maybe this might be. this might be true and I don't want to tell lies I went home and I was I was full

joy excitement and I was just like if it does happen it happens but if it doesn't I had the best day we had the best and so then you go into room and I thought I don't know what you two thought I mean this I'll be honest with you Richard this is pure the rest of entertainment isn't it yeah yeah I love it thank you inject it into your reins I thought there was probably going to be two on the Friday. Do you know what I mean? I didn't think, I thought there was probably another

chemistry test on the Friday of other people. So this is the Thursday and you think there's going to be another one. No, this was the Friday. Oh, this was the Friday. So what I mean is I didn't realize this was. Because there were multiple every day. So I thought, oh, they'll probably bring back a few.

Probably more people coming in after us. Yeah. It can't just be us. Yeah. It can't just be. But then we all went in and they were like, this is the. This is the last one.

And this is a wild card. We're just like, what happens if we do three? And they said it's so much of a wild call is we don't really have a script for you either So we're going to sit down Get it up on the screen And we'll have a little tinker all together Okay

So we sat there didn't we like this is going What is going on? Take a photo didn't we? And Joshua We have to document this Because if it happens Who'd have thought it And if it doesn't happen

At least we've got an image To say that we're going to know The day I nearly got strictly Yeah So what did they have you doing, Jojo? When the three of you were together and they put something up on the screen, what was the chemistry test? What did you have to do together?

We came up with a script basically for what we were going to do their day. They just wanted us to add to the script what we wanted to do. Yeah. And the way that it would work is it was like one person, the Clauditorium and then one person downstairs or one or two, and then you'd swap. And then it would go to the judge and you'd watch the video of like a classic dance. No.

Yeah, and then, do you know, Greg Frost, the floor manager? Yeah. He'd pretend to be the dancer with another person who I didn't know. Again, this is really granular, but he would have loved that. He was living his best life. If I had Frosty, he was like, perhaps I'm part of this chemistry. Yeah. Feels like I'm doing quite a lot of heavy lifting here.

He's been lovely, actually. He'd pretend to be Ed Bulls or whatever. We'd all stand there and watch it on the TV screen. Yeah. And then they'd go to the person and you'd take them through the judges. and then they'd walk like literally three steps as if you were then in the Clauditorium or... Yeah.

That's what it was. And then we did all of us in kind of all different positions. So we all got a go at everything and we all paired up with each other and so that they could kind of see all sorts of how any combination could work. And then there was a moment when Nicola said... Nicola is a series producer. Yeah.

And she said, oh no. We haven't thought about keep dancing. Oh, yeah. Okay. The two people. Yeah. At the end of the show. So how are we going to do the keep dancing at the end of the show with three people?

With three. I mean, that feel. Oh, I see what you mean. Because they dance together. Take the hands. Yes. You do this. Yeah.

Okay. Yeah. And we had to come up with something. Yeah. And then, yeah. And then you said, Johannes, get out of here. You are ruining my chances here. Actually, he came up with something very funny.

You. where me and Emma actually went for it and then he just popped out on the side of the thing it was hilarious it was great it was really fun so you go home

you don't know you've got the gig at what point did you get the call to say it was a couple of weeks weren't it a couple of weeks grueling I think that it was we couldn't talk to anybody and that's what I hated the most

the only person I spoke to about it was my mother I think the whole process I hated having to lie to Annabel Croft because Because the newspapers were to, everybody was talking about. That's beyond the pile. So, I mean, I remember how Collie May say, is this true?

Because if it is, I said, no, it's not. And that day was the day I saw you at the chemistry chair. So I hated the whole process. I'm not going to lie. So when that phone call came after those two weeks of waiting. Yeah. I was like, Jesus Christ, it doesn't matter. Who rang you and how did they tell you got the job?

Nicola, our executive producer and Nickle and Sarah. Yeah, Sarah James. So as Getsu producer, she's the one that rang us up and we're on a Zoom call. I was late. So I was in Birmingham. Where were you? So it was like, we were all in very random places because we didn't.

But we also didn't know the call was happening, didn't we? It was out. It wasn't planned. Could you jump on a Zoom at 2pm? Obviously your head goes, they're not going to bother with a Zoom to tell me I haven't got it, surely. Because that's what you'd think, right? And then also, maybe they're really kind.

Yeah. And they are going to tell you haven't got it. So I was in Birmingham because I was on tour. You're plugging this tour a lot. It's finished, Richard. For a tall that's already done. Well, actually, you know what? It's not.

You got more? Because I was doing Australia, but I can't now because of strictly. But I had the three warm-ups in. So I've still got three warm-up dates for a bit of tour I'm not doing. So if anyone's an island. Yes. So, yeah, you have the Zoom. So I was sat in a graveyard in Birmingham.

Okay. Because I wanted some acquire. I was walking around Birmingham with my phone. I was like, I've got to find something quiet. You should have gone to my mum's house. I should have gone to your mum's house. No, he wanted some way. He wanted some way.

I can say, because I've met your mum. You have. You spent a long time with my mum, yeah. You were in a graveyard in Birmingham when you were told you got the Strictly gig. There's your headline. Were you allowed to whoop?

I didn't like stand up and go, yes, because obviously it wasn't public then either. Yeah, yeah. Not that anyone would have gone, wait a minute. He got the Strictly gig. Like I'm punching the air by the streetly gig. by the grave.

It was a very weird situation, wasn't it? Because even though they were telling us, all three of us were in very public places, it was a bit like, oh, well, tell us where you were? You wanted to be excited, but also you didn't want to cause a scene. So I, the reason it kept getting put back

was because I was at the hairdressers. Sarah messaged me and said, can you jump on a Zoom? And I was the same as you. I was like, this could be an either way Zoom. So I'm not going to get excited. And I said, I can, but literally I'm just, I'm having my hair washed. And she said, okay, okay.

I wish you'd done it like that. I'm having my hair wash. I'm in a graveyard. So he's in a graveyard. I'm on a, I'm having my air washed. And then they took ages washing my hair. And they're like, do you want a massage? I'm like, no, no, just crack on.

The only person who's ever turned down a massage at the hairdresser. And then she's like, are you coming or what? I'm like, I'm still at this state. I promise. coming, I'm coming and coming. And she said, can you, can you go? I said, I'm at the hairdresser. She said, can you go somewhere private? And I said, the only place I can go is outside in the street or in the loo. And she went, go in the loo. So I was sat on a toilet at the hairdressers. So you're sat on a grave. You're sat on a toilet. I wasn't sat on a grave. That wasn't sat on a grave.

It's better. It's better. That's what I heard. That's what I heard. I was in my apartment, but I was getting ready to go to the colleague as I was performing that night here in front of 2, 300 people. In Kinkyboots. It was me while I was warm. up when I received the phone call to say, can you jump on the call? So it was lovely because I could scream. Yeah. With without any interference, but I died when you were setting that loo, taking that phone call. Could you see that Emma was in her toilet?

I shared them all. I was like, look. I thought using the toilet was too much, Richard. Yes. Come on, Emma. I wasn't using it. I put the lid down and I was sat on it. I did hear a flush towards the end of the cold.

that's how I could scream I can make any noise I wanted to like scream and be excited and be like Jojo but they're out there what's happened

to her in there and who was the first person each of you told Josh Annabel Croft You know you had to put her out of her misery Exactly I said

He's been lying to you Annabelle Sabot I can't take it It was my wife I told Matt and only Matt until um so you had to keep it really quiet right yeah I didn't tell my mum no well I'm probably feel the best I put my agent and my mom on the same

core oh they've been waiting they were more excited than I was honestly I kept it such a secret that I obviously knew who I was doing it with but the team didn't tell our agents who we were doing it with so when my agent asked me who I was doing it with I said I'm not telling you you. Really? And I didn't tell him at all and he was so cross. Does you know now? But I thought if I, he's just found out today. But I thought if I don't tell anyone, then anything that gets out has never come from me. So I just kept everything to myself, apart from Matt. Thank you so much. We're just going to go now to a little break. This episode is brought to you by Lloyds. Now, show business loves a club. I love all these sort of unofficial groupings of people.

There's two brat packs that I'm a big fan of. two bratt past. Yeah, there's two bratt packs because there's the movie brat pack, all of the Judd Nelson and, you know, Rob Lowe and Charlie Sheen and all those guys. Everyone in the Breakfast Club. Yeah, and then there's also the brat pack of those kind of turn of the 90s novelists, Brett Easton Ellis, Jay McEnany, Donna Tart. And that's the thing creatively, it's actually very, very useful to hang out with other people who are incredibly talented because you drive each other on to do things. Because a lot of the British novelists in the 80s, Martin Amis, Julian Barnes, Ian McEwen, they all used to sort of go and out.

have lunch and have dinner. And you could just tell you, you know, they would talk about stuff and they would make each other's work much better. And that's the benefit of being in a group, being in a club. It becomes more than the sum of its parts. Clubs really do have benefits like Club Lloyds, an elevated everyday bank account with exclusive benefits plus a lifestyle perk like cinema tickets. And you get no fees on debit card spending and withdrawals abroad. An exclusive mortgage rate discount, interest on your balance. To join a club worth being in, search Club Lloyds. You must be a UK resident, age 18 or over to apply. This account has a. has a £5 monthly fee, refunded each month you pay in £2,000 or more.

Hey, this is Michael and Hannah from Gollhangers. The Rest is Science. This episode is brought to you by Cancer Research UK. Think of some things that glow. Okay, fireflies, glow sticks, the northern lights. They're very cool. But what if we could replicate that glow inside our bodies and what if doing so could help us save lives? Because Cancer Research UK scientists,

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visit canterresearchuk.org slash rest is science. Welcome back. Question for each of you from some of our listeners here. Charlie R says, Josh, what is harder TV presenting or stand-up comedy? I think TV presenting, for me, I've done stand-up comedy for 18 years. So I don't find that difficult anymore.

obviously it goes wrong. Yeah. I've watched you. But, you know, it's the 10,000 hours principle of doing something. So stand-up comedy is kind of quite natural to me now. So TV presenting is definitely more difficult. But I imagine Emma would answer the opposite. I would say definitely comedies.

Charlie also says, do they have any similarities? Yeah, loads. I think that's quite an interesting thing where when you start TV presenting, and it's the same when you're doing like a tour show or something. You've got a script or you know what, but it's when you come off the script, when you know to whether to improvise or when you know to go back on the script.

There's a lot of that and it's, I say that's probably the, it's just transferable skill. Emma, a question for you from Daniel. It says, Emma, when you present live television, can you describe to us what you are hearing in your ear?

It's the most rest is entertainment question. Yeah. Yeah. We've all got voices in our heads. haven't we? For sure. Yeah. Let's say yes.

Yes. But when you're doing television, it's like honing in on that one voice who it's like having a sat nav in your head consistently. That's what I would say. And you are having to talk at the same time someone is talking to you. So you're talking, listening and reading, sometimes reading. Sometimes you're just kind of doing your own questions. Emma's so good.

She brings a book. Thinking. Thinking, talking, reading. and listening all at the same time. I love Jojo, by the way, just went, oh, Jesus. What have I just signed up for? It's weird. Like you've just said, when people go, oh God, it seems quite difficult.

I'm like, no, it's just... You're just used to it. You're just doing it. But I've done it for 20, 25 years. So you do. But when you think about it that way, I think, and when I think back to the beginning, I was like, I can't read an auto cue,

listen to you and also speak and think of another question at the same time, but it's just like you say. And you're going to be stellar. Because I'm next to your. Yeah, Jojo, a question for you from Barbara Dean. Jojo, we loved you in kinky boots. Everyone seemed to love you on kinky boots.

Will you be doing any more acting? Please say yes. Not any time soon, darling. And I say that. She said, please say yes. No. Sorry, are you not hearing that? No, Richard, listen, I would absolutely love to, but not now.

If you ask me now today, no. After what I experienced in the West End. I have to say that was that was baptism of fire hardcore right hardcore I mean I respect everybody the else that does it and no I I fell into this I did it's not it's not and I absolutely love it and I'm grateful that it paid off in a massive way but no not any time soon that's like a flat no poor Barbara Dean is like this is going to be such great first she's thinking I absolutely like he's so good yeah secondly oh my God they're reading out the questions they must obviously he's doing, he's probably going to announce something, he's going to be the new Bond.

And JoJo's like, Barbara, and no. No, absolutely not. No, no. I'm so recovering. She's going out to listen to a boring 40-minute anecdote about how they got the job for that. Beth and G asked this question for each of you. What is your favourite song to dance to do? I will finish with you, Jojo, because I'm interested in your answer. I'm not interested in yours.

but it'll be some sort of 90s indie thing, I suspect. Josh, what do you think? Best song to dance to? Probably the Christmas, the version of Let It Snow that I danced to in 2024 on Strictly Christmas. When you did that, by the way,

was there a bit of you thinking, if ever there's a job on this? No, there wasn't. I've shown that I'm part of the Strictly family. I've dipped my toe in. I haven't done the full series. But it's even better. You just, listen, I've done the bare minimum.

Maybe they'll think about me. I've put on the B-Cat. Come on. Yeah, yeah. But if you were out in the evening and a song comes on, what song would immediately get you going? Probably Disco 2000 by Pulp. You were right.

Yeah, there you go. Emma? Tina Turner Proud Mary. Oh, that's a better answer, isn't it? Isn't it? Yeah. I thought she was going to go. I thought she was going to go busted.

You can't, like, you can't keep you. Oh, I should have. Yeah. Busted, you have three thousand. For me, Thunderbirds are go by Busted. And I know this is true. Yeah, he loves Busted. I love Busted.

Yeah, you know I do. I absolutely love Busted. Thunderbirds is a rogue one. That's a great song. Anyway, listen, we're not here to talk about my lover. Busted. I'm not the biggest fans. I didn't marry one of them or anything like that.

Not for the one of trying. God knows I tried, Josh. God knows I tried. Jojo, professional dancer have been for many, many years. you're just it's extraordinary watching you move on that show i know lots of people will miss you doing it but do you have a favorite song to dance to cissy peniston finally oh great choice the middle-aged woman in this country oh my god wild but would you like if you're at a party or something or at a club and that comes on do people go oh god it's jazz

Have a day off, mate. But everyone's dancing. They think, they're pretty good. And then you come on. Do you put your handbag on the floor and dance around? Unfortunately, my friends are more extra than I am. So I'm always a spectator in those moments. I hated.

But they're more extra than you. Oh, my goodness. Oh, you must see them. I mean, that's the thing. My family, everybody dances back home, you know. So that's the thing. It's just I take a back seat. But when that song comes on, everybody does.

that's open the circle and allowed me to do my thing. That's got to appear somewhere on the new series, hasn't it? Yeah. But that's like when someone brings along like a pro footballer to a five-a-side match and you know they're toning it down a little bit. They're just going, oh, God, too. Jojo can't bust out everything like if he's just in the club. Would the three of you like to join with me and playing a quiz called Strictly Superfan?

Yes. This can only go wrong. It's not the sort of quiz where any lack of knowledge is going to be shown up. It's more of a kind of random thing. There's three of you, I don't know if you know that, but a very awkward number to present the television show. We've all seen with Homes Under the Hammer how hard it is to do a three-handed intro.

So Josh, I'm going to be on your team in this. So JoJo and Emma, you're a team. Me and Josh are a team. It's a strictly superfan quiz. And producer Joey is going to read out the questions. I haven't seen the questions, by the way, otherwise it would be an unfair advantage to have me on your team. But Joey.

Which dance style is the most performed on strictly. Okay, which dance style? I mean, sometimes you don't even get to do a dance on this season because you are eliminated. Look at the anger in his eyes. He's remembering Annabel Croft. This is going to be very different to our comparing. So what is the most popular dance?

It is no most popular dance. I think everybody's given in a fair equal opportunity and that is what you need to do. You need to, you need to divide them. I'm trying to think what I feel like I see a lot. You've seen the most a samba? Yeah, or a tango. A tango. Argentine tango.

I would say. So you guys going on. I think that sticks with you more, the Argentine tango because it's so visual. No, also it's a specialty dance. So it's not that. No, it's not there. So let's go for Sancta. Charleston.

You're right. You're absolutely right. Everybody gets an opportunity to do Charleston because it's an easy one. Whoa. Whoa. Wow. Wow. Wow.

Wow. Just amazing. So the easiest one of all, the Charleston. Charleston. The beginners dance. The beginners dance. What should we go for? I was thinking Charleston.

Yeah. We can't. Just for jeopardy. Should we get tango? Jive. Jive. Let's go Jive. So, okay.

Joey. In third place, the jive. The third is popular. In second place, the quick step. No one even said that. And in first, the char, char, char, cha. Wow. Do we get a point for being closer?

we said jive didn't we yeah we said jive and we said jive and we that feels like a point to listen I'm not I'm not a format guy that feels like a point to us yeah it is a point to your yeah okay good Lacey Turner who plays Stacey and Estenders was the first celebrity confirmed for this series of Strictly but how many Stender stars have been in the ballroom before her God there's been a few yeah we'll go first

this is wild because let's put it this way there's been how many how many how many 22 22 series. 22 series. So I have 22. But then there's Christmas specials.

They're going first again, Richard. Oh, they're going first. Okay. We'll go first. Okay. I think they're never going to be more than one. No, but don't forget that some people,

a lot of actors have been on and they might have them been on EastEnders at another. Like if you've been on EastEnders at any point. Yes. But Rose Aiding Ellis. Yeah. But we're not going to go through all of them. No.

Bobby Bracier. There's been a few. So 22 series. I'd say 30 then. Okay. Do you think? I think it'd be rare there's a series without an Eastern. Yes.

And yeah, yeah. We'll go 30. I think lower, yeah. Oh, sorry. 25. There have been 31. Oh, yes. Josh.

Wow. Wow. That's amazing. There we go. Name them. How many competitive individual couple dances have there been in total between series one in 2004 and series 23 in 2025? I mean 22 series, 10, 12 episodes of series?

2,300? Well, there used to be only 10 people competing. And then it went to 12 people and then 14 people. And now I think there's, is it 15? Yeah. So if Richard's doing that, let's go higher. What did you say? Two, three hundred.

Let's go more than that. Two thousand. Seven hundred. You don't need to do that. That's too many. Too many. You could just go two thousand and three and one. Yeah.

Yeah. Go with your gut. 2005. 2,744. Oh, there you go. Well done. Moving along. Well done.

Moving along. Thank goodness. Again, another great catchphrase for you in this in the series. Anyway, moving along. It's just you constantly going, Thank you. Moving along. Are you sure about this?

Whitney Houston's, I want to dance with somebody and traditional gypsy dance song, Ispania Kanye, are the most used musical tracks in the show. But how many times have we seen them both be performed? Well, they wouldn't play it more than once a series, would they? No, unless they're redancing the dance. And it normally takes an exactly.

They'll normally skip a year, two years before they get. They use the same song again on Strictly. Yeah. Inside knowledge. Inside knowledge. 25. That feels like a lot.

That feels like that would be one. It does feel like a lot. What do you think Josh? I think low. Yeah. I think 12. They've been danced 13 times. Oh!

Just you're unbelievable at this. Well, I'm the stats guy. You really are. Right. We're currently at 3.1. How many litres roughly of fake tan is used per season? I know the answer. No.

How? How? I was, I was, I did something yesterday when this came up. Well, let's say, do you want to go first? I think it's 270. 270. But I don't remember now. Well, we might as well do it if you were told it, if you were told it literally yesterday.

Yeah. 270. 269 or 271. One of the two, I've never had fake tan on the show. I've never been in the fake time room. I've never walked in. Always long passing go, hi, ladies. What goes on behind that door?

I'll be in there. Add another litre this series. Tell you that for free. $200.65. 57 litres. Wow. So I don't remember it very well. That was something else.

Yeah. Three two suddenly. Yeah. The longest serving strictly come dancing judge is Craig Revell Horwood, who's also sometimes known as the harshest scorer. but how many ones has he awarded over his tenure? They're right. I don't think many.

He loves a two, don't he? Oh, he also loves a one. Does he? Is he given you a one? No, thank you, Lord Jesus. Sorry. No, no, that has never happened.

What's the lowest score you've ever thought? He's given me a three. No. And I don't think I slept me and my partner boats. Here is your partner. Alex Kingston. He gave you and Alex Kingston a three. Yeah?

From Craig Rivel. She was so good. She was lovely. And that is a thing. Even Annabelle Croft, yeah, we struggled. I struggled under Craig. You know what, Janice? You can really take your gloves off of this series, aren't here?

Richard, you don't know. I said, I'm waiting for that judges debrief. Yeah. But you know the judges debrief. You can't bring up old series. God, you know. Let's talk about this three last year. Now that you're on the other side, you have to be impartial.

I know you can see that again. I'm going to struggle. Surely not going to be more than one a series. In the early days, he was. He was harsher, wasn't it? Yeah, he was. Yeah, he's really mellowed. Yeah.

With time. 20. Too little. Really? You think I'm going to 20? I don't know. I don't know. Should we go for 22?

23, 24. 24. 24. Listen to that I went in octavide. He's still got the kinky voice. So 24 must be more, surely. Do you think? Well, like 22 series and all of those weeks and in the early weeks.

And the early ones when they were like really, yeah, I think higher. It must be. So 20. Let's not say 25. No. 30. 30. 30.

30. Oh. Craig Revel Haward has awarded only 10 ones. Whoa. That's making everyone who got one feel so much worse. See, he's not too bad, is he really? So that is three all. Shall we play WonderCider?

Yes. One decider question. Three or who's the strictly superfan? Yeah, me be Johannes. Everyone else clear the floor. Please, please. Can we make that happen? Josh appeared on the strictly Christmas special in 2024,

where he was a penguin with Karen Hauer. But what was his score? I mean, they massively overmarked. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. They do, though, don't they? You're on my team! You're on my team! Yeah, I'm joking, but they do.

The Christmas special. You're like, oh, yeah, that was a 40. Really? I literally tripped down the stairs. I mean, they do overmark. So 34, I would say. Oh, I think it's lower than that. Did you say Craig gave you a three?

No, I didn't say Craig gave you a three. No. No. Oh, yeah, you said that. Do you know what? This chemistry test must have been quite something. She can't tell me and Jojo apart. I want to say 39.

Do you? There's overmarking and overmarking. What did you? What did you say? Richard? 34, yeah. 34. I thought I was pushing it there.

Was it pushing it? You know, it's Christmas. Everyone is in their jolly mood. I mean, Anton. Could we stop focusing on the overmarket? Anton was happy that day, remember? He just watched a great dance. He just seen dance reinvented before his eyes.

Of course he was happy. Oh, maybe you didn't quite well. Don't say that was such a sound. I'm saying you didn't stop telling us. And clearly, and clearly you didn't listen. I remember one very well So 34 I've said 36 should we go 36

36 Definitely not a 10 from Craig You don't need to look me directly in the eyes with that I would say 9, 9, 9, 10 Let's go 36 36 Okay for the win 34 of you 36

Okay, should I do it judge by judge? Oh yes I remember it Oh that means we've got to do maths Craig eight okay yes

Motzzi nine 17 and then Shirley nine 26 and Tom standing up with a 10

oh come on 36 well played congratulations I can't believe it there we go Jojo and Emma you're the winner of the Strictly super fan quiz congratulations

I didn't just lose but I have my whole experience on the show taken apart in the final question. That's some good marks, though. Oh, is they mark easier at Christmas, Emma? Ever so sorry, do you think they don't mark easier at Christmas? Well,

sorry, is that your, is that what you're telling the Senate? Look, you can only play the judges that are put in front of you. That's exactly right. You're terrific. Listen, it's been lovely spending this time with you. That's your catchphrase. Yeah, you were terrific. Anyway, to the talent.

Thank you so much for answer questions. We didn't get through many questions. I had too many questions of my own. But I know the three of you will be super nervous. I absolutely get it. But me with my producers, head on, they have made the perfect choice. The three of you, you can tell the three of you together. The chemistry is amazing.

You each do different things. Jojo incredible to have you here because of everything you know. I'm going to be gutted that you're not dancing. But I know we'll see bits of it. Emma, you're the consummate pro. You know that. That's a much tougher job than people think it is holding that sort of show together. You're perfect to do it.

And just so great to have you here. You're going to be perfect up in the Clauditorium. Whatever else you're doing as well. It's a really, really great combination. We have so many questions to ask you. Everyone's very, very excited about this new series. And from me and from all the listeners, the very, very best of luck. Thank you very much.

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