ITV star ‘with huge fanbase’ joins running to become new Strictly Come Dancing host

Christine Lampard has reportedly been named as the ‘frontrunner’ to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as the new host of Strictly Come Dancing

The Strictly rumour mill has been in overdrive ever since the surprising departures of presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman in October.

Names ranging from Holly Willoughby to Bradley Walsh have all been touted for the much sought-after position.

The most recent contender making headlines is Christine Lampard – wife of ex-footballer Frank Lampard – who has allegedly emerged as the leading candidate to present Strictly Come Dancing.

The 46 year old television presenter’s schedule has also opened up following major shake-ups at ITV.

Viewers of weekday morning television will have spotted that the chat show Lorraine, fronted by Lorraine Kelly, has been trimmed to a mere 30 minutes daily.

The programme has also seen its annual episode count slashed – meaning Christine no longer has shows to cover as Lorraine is anticipated to present her own programme full-time.

However, ITV’s setback could prove to be the BBC’s windfall, with Christine being considered for the Strictly hosting role. Dance show enthusiasts will naturally recall that Christine was once a competitor herself in 2008, partnered with Matthew Cutler.

An insider revealed to the Daily Mail: “She has a huge fanbase from her years fronting breakfast TV and is a pro at handling live TV, which is no mean feat.

Producers love the idea of casting a presenter who has previously taken part in the show as a contestant, as it has worked really well in the past on spin-off show It Takes Two.”, reports the Mirror.

Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left stunned in October when presenters Tess and Claudia suddenly declared they would be departing the programme before 2025 draws to a close.

Tess has been at the helm of the show since its launch in 2004, whilst Claudia joined as co-presenter in 2010.

Despite being considered one of the BBC’s flagship programmes, the series has faced mounting scandal in recent times, with allegations of backstage bullying and mistreatment tarnishing its glamorous reputation.

When the pair unexpectedly revealed their plans to retire from the dance floor last year, Tess and Claudia released a joint statement saying: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.”

They added: “We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.

They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last ‘keep dancing’ but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”

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Speculation is rife about who might be stepping into their dancing shoes as the new hosts of the show.

The One Show’s Alex Jones, TV adjudicator Rob Rinder, X Factor sensation Rylan Clark, and ex-Big Brother participant Alison Hammond are among the names rumoured to be stepping onto the ballroom floor as new hosts.

The series is slated for a return in August, with cast announcements expected to be made several weeks prior.

The Mirror has reached out to representatives of Christine and Strictly for comment.