Strictly Come Dancing star 'axed' from BBC show in devastating blow
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has reportedly been dropped from the BBC spin-off show.
Fleur East has been axed from Strictly Come Dancing’s spin off show, It Takes Two, it has been reported. The former X Factor star is the latest star to have been cut from the lineup as the show undergoes a major overhaul following Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's exit from the main show. The news comes just weeks after Fleur's co-star Janette Manrara announced she will not return for the new series of Strictly.
Fleur and Janette's exit is believed to be part of a major shakeup at the BBC show. The Hits Radio presenter even screen-tested as a potential replacement for main hosts Tess and Claudia – but admitted she was snubbed. In a further devastating blow, she will now longer be part of the weekday spin-off show which she joined in 2023.
A BBC spokesperson told Express.co.uk: "Further plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course."
A source told The Sun: “Fleur has kept the news on the lowdown for as long as she could, only telling her close friends.
“She’s still in denial about it and was really upset by the decision.
“But it wasn’t personal. The BBC have decided to make a number of other changes in order to give the show a fresh new feel. Sadly for Fleur, she didn’t make the cut and was dropped.”
Speaking on her Hits Radio Breakfast show last month, Fleur admitted she was “bothered” by not getting the presenting gig after auditioning for the main show.
She said: “All right, I’m going to say it. I did say initially, after Tess and Claudia announced they were leaving Strictly you know, it’s probably not going to happen [for me] and I’m happy for whoever gets it.
“And we were just talking about Emma Willis being announced and I was like, yeah, great, amazing and I’ve kind of lied to myself that I’d be all right with not doing it or not being considered for the job. But I’m kind of bothered…”
Fleur went on to say she felt privileged being a part of It Takes Two and also taking part in the dancing competition as a contestant in 2022.
It was announced last month that Emma Willis landed the top job on Strictly alongside Josh Widdecombe and pro dancer Johannes Radebe.
