Strictly Come Dancing ‘hit by major shakeup as THREE professional dancers are axed by BBC bosses ahead of new series’
Strictly Come Dancing has suffered a major shakeup after BBC bosses axed three professional dancers from the popular ballroom show.
It is claimed that the producers want a ‘fresh start’ for the long-running series and new presenters will be announced soon.
Accordingly SunLongtime professional dancers Gorka Márquez, 35, and Luba Mushtuk, 36, have been axed by TV bosses.
Meanwhile, newcomer Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, has also reportedly left the show.
A source told the publication: ‘There will be big changes coming in the next few weeks with dancers meeting about their contracts.
‘Bosses want to make a fresh start, bring in new faces after the drama of recent years and create a new era.’
Strictly Come Dancing has undergone a major makeover after BBC bosses axed three professional dancers from the popular ballroom show.
Gorka, who met his partner Gemma Atkinson on the series in 2017, starred in the series for ten years and appeared in three finals.
Meanwhile, Luba joined the show eight years ago, but celebrities have not been given dance partners in recent years.
Michelle joined the series in 2022 alongside fellow pros including Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu and Lauren Oakley.
She got her first celebrity partner in 2024 when she was paired with Jamie Borthwick, but they were eliminated in week 10.
The Daily Mail has contacted the BBC and the dancers’ representatives for comment.
It comes after BBC bosses hoped they could choose Britain’s best-loved presenters to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
But The Mail on Sunday has revealed there is actually a ‘struggle’ to find new presenters, despite a number of high-profile names being touted.
Sources say BBC chief content officer Kate Phillips is ‘enthusiastic’ about Alex Jones being cast as Tess or Claudia; However, it is said that The One Show announcer ‘didn’t take this chance very much’.
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Gorka Márquez, 35, who met his partner Gemma Atkinson on the show in 2017, was reportedly axed by TV bosses
Meanwhile, it was reported that 36-year-old Luba Mushtuk, who participated in the show eight years ago, was also fired by the bosses
Newcomer Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, has also reportedly left the show
Many big names are said to be uninterested in the £400,000 positions due to long and unsocial working hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
Meanwhile, others are aware of what a high-profile job this is and prefer to stay out of the spotlight.
A source close to the show said: ‘It’s the biggest show on television, a national treasure, but getting people to do it isn’t as easy as you might think.
‘Everything happened organically with Tess and Claudia. Roles are now highly inflated.
Kate Phillips is really keen for Alex Jones to do this, but she, like many others discussed, lives a quiet life.
‘There is also the issue of stars being able to earn money much more easily. Take Bradley Walsh; It would be great, but he’s making a fortune recording pre-recorded episodes of The Chase.
‘Absolutely everything is consumed for four months of the year. It takes over everything. Even Tess and Claudia noticed this; It was really difficult.
‘They were there late into the night on Fridays and Saturdays to do try-outs and dress rehearsals.’
Many names were included in the frame, such as Walsh, Alan Carr, Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond.
Bosses want new stars to have some sort of connection with Strictly but this may not be possible.
A place on The One Show will open up if former BBC controller Ms Phillips persuades Alex Jones, 48, who reached the semi-finals as a contestant in 2011, to take on the Strictly role.
That spot could be filled by Tess Daly, 56, as she and husband Vernon Kay are increasingly seen as the next Richard and Judy, sources say.
They co-hosted the magazine show together in the early evening on Wednesday and are said to have impressed the Company’s higher-ups.
Tess and Claudia quit hosting Strictly after 14 years last October, saying they had discussed the issue for a year and wanted to leave together.
Since then, the search has been ongoing for new servers, which will likely be announced in early summer.
Although Tess has yet to announce her next move, Claudia, 53, will host her own chat show, The Claudia Winkleman Show, on BBC One from March 13.
