Former Strictly Come Dancing winner Ellie Leach has thrown her support behind the BBC flagship entertainment show following criticism over its major format revamp and new three-presenter hosting line-up.
The 24th series of Strictly Come Dancing underwent one of the biggest makeovers in its history as Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe took over presenting duties after the departures of long-standing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The new presenting trio has divided viewers, with Willis earning early praise while Widdicombe faced criticism regarding his presenting style.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Mail, 24-year-old Leach, who lifted the Glitterball trophy alongside professional dancer Vito Coppola in 2023, insisted she warmly supports the new direction. "It was different, but I love the new format," Leach said. "In the launch show, they had more of a dance element. Usually they just have an opening routine and then a closing routine, but the fact that they had three different sections of dance, I thought that was so fun. Even though it was absolute chaos, I kind of love that. We need a bit of chaos in our lives sometimes."
Revamped presenting line-up
Addressing the new presenting trio, Leach expressed enthusiasm for the trio of hosts joining forces on screen. "I love them. I thought they all did amazing," she said. "I mean JoJo, he's incredible. The fact that he already knows everyone anyway and is so comfortable, and then Emma and Josh it was so nice to see two new faces."
Leach noted that adapting to three presenters instead of two adds a fresh dynamic to the series. "I'm really excited to see what it's going to be like throughout the whole series and how they're going to do it, obviously, with three presenters now as opposed to two," she added. "Strictly's got that nostalgic feeling anyway and it's nice to add a little bit of extra into the mix."
The overhaul follows a turbulent period for the BBC series, which faced misconduct allegations in 2024 alongside the exits of high-profile professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima. Further controversies surrounding backstage culture have continued to dog the production, raising questions over whether the BBC can preserve the magic of one of its biggest entertainment brands. Early viewing figures also indicated that the revamped line-up failed to deliver the ratings surge BBC bosses had hoped for.
However, Leach stressed that lower ratings and public criticism do not diminish what makes the programme special, adding that she hopes viewers continue to tune in. "I think it’s a show that really brings families together," Leach said. "It’s one of the only shows and the only time when people sit as a full family because they can all enjoy it. Every member of each family knows someone who's taking part because they're so good at bringing such a wide variety of people to the line-up." She added that the show brings immense joy while maintaining its family-focused environment alongside its new look.
Support for contestants and friends
The former Coronation Street actress revealed she will be keeping a particularly close eye on one couple in particular during the current series: her close friend Coppola and his new celebrity partner, actress Lacey Turner. "Vito is my best friend - I’m very, very excited for him and Lacey. I was so happy when I saw that partnership," Leach said. "All of the partnerships look really strong this year; everyone looks like they are with who they should be with."
Reflecting on the extraordinary pressure of competing on the show, Leach offered advice to this year's contestants taking to the ballroom floor. "It goes so fast, so just cherish every single moment whilst you’re in it," she said. "Obviously, it’s intense, it’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s sometimes stressful - it’s amazing. You have to live in all the moments."
Leach credited her 2023 victory with completely transforming her life, making it clear she has no intention of leaving the Strictly family behind. "It changed my life, and so it will always be so special to me," she said. "Any involvement I can get, I’m like, 'Yep, I’ll be there at the live show, yep, I’ll do this, yep, I’ll do that.' I’m Strictly’s biggest fan. People think I’m being dramatic because it’s just a dance show, but it genuinely did change my life." She credited the programme with giving her the confidence to embrace opportunities she would previously have turned down, changing her self-belief and how she thinks about things.
Stage acting debut and Royal Mint partnership
Following her Strictly triumph, Leach made her stage acting debut starring as Miss Scarlett in the UK tour of Cluedo 2 - The Next Chapter in 2024. The role marked a significant milestone for the actress following her departure from Coronation Street.
This week, Leach reprised her role as a modern-day Miss Scarlett to front the launch of The Royal Mint's new collectable Cluedo 50p coin, produced in collaboration with Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company. She unveiled the coin at an immersive Cluedo-themed launch event, kicking off The Case of the Missing Coin, an online competition challenging fans to solve three weekly clues for the chance to win a gold 50p coin valued at over £2,000.
"Playing Miss Scarlett on stage was one of my favourite roles, so getting to bring her back to life for The Royal Mint was such a fun challenge - except this time, I ended up as the victim of the crime rather than solving it!" Leach said. "Holding the coin for the first time was such a special moment, and I love how much detail has been included in the design. I can’t wait for everyone to get involved and see if they can crack the case."
