Strictly ‘hit by major shakeup as THREE pro dancers are axed’

Strictly Come Dancing has been hit by a major shake-up after BBC bosses reportedly axed three professional dancers from the hit ballroom show. 

It is claimed producers want a ‘fresh start’ for the long-running series, with new presenters also set to be announced soon. 

According to The Sun, long-running professional dancers Gorka Márquez, 35, and Luba Mushtuk, 36, have been given the axe by TV bosses. 

Meanwhile, newcomer Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, has also reportedly departed the show. 

A source told the publication: ‘There are major changes taking place with dancers having meetings about their contracts over the next few weeks.

‘Bosses want a fresh start and to bring in new faces after all the drama in recent years and create a new era.’

Gorka, who met his partner Gemma Atkinson on the show in 2017, has starred in the series for a decade and featured in three finales. 

Meanwhile, Luba joined the show eight years ago but has not been given a celebrity dance partner in recent years. 

Michelle joined the series in 2022 alongside fellow professionals including Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu and Lauren Oakley. 

She got her first celebrity partner in 2024 when she was paired with Jamie Borthwick, though they were eliminated in week 10. 

Daily Mail has contacted the BBC and the dancers’ representatives for comment. 

It comes after BBC bosses hoped they would have the pick of the UK’s most-loved presenters as they look to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. 

But The Mail on Sunday revealed that, in fact, it is proving a ‘struggle’ to find new hosts, despite a number of high-profile names being touted.

Sources say that Kate Phillips, the BBC’s chief content officer, ‘has her heart set’ on Alex Jones stepping into Tess or Claudia’s shoes – but The One Show anchor is said to have ‘not exactly jumped at the chance’.

Several big names are said to be disinterested in the £400,000 roles because of the long and unsociable hours on Fridays and Saturdays.

Meanwhile, others are aware of what a high-profile job it is, and would prefer to stay under the radar. 

A source close to the show said: ‘Strictly is the biggest show on television, it is a national treasure but it isn’t as easy as you’d think to get people to do it.

‘With Tess and Claudia it happened organically. Now the roles are hugely inflated. 

Kate Phillips is really, really keen for Alex Jones to do it but she lives a quiet life, as do many of the others being mooted.

‘Then there is the matter of stars being able to earn money far more easily. Take Bradley Walsh – he would be brilliant, but he earns fortunes pre-recording episodes of The Chase.

‘Strictly is all consuming for four months of the year. It takes over everything. Even Tess and Claudia found that – it was really hard. 

‘They’d be there at the crack of dawn until late at night on Fridays and Saturdays doing run-throughs and dress rehearsals.’

There have been several names in the frame, including Walsh, Alan Carr, Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond. 

Bosses are keen for the new stars to have some kind of connection to Strictly, but that may not be possible.

Should former BBC controller Ms Phillips persuade Alex Jones, 48 – who reached the semi-final as a contestant in 2011 – to take the Strictly role, there would be a vacancy on The One Show. 

This, according to sources, could be filled by Tess Daly, 56, as she and her husband Vernon Kay are increasingly being regarded as the next Richard and Judy.

They hosted the early evening magazine show together on Wednesday and are said to have very much impressed the Corporation’s upper echelons.

Tess and Claudia stepped down from hosting Strictly after 14 years last October, saying they had been discussing it for a year and wanted to leave together.

The search has been on for new presenters ever since, who are likely to be announced in early summer.

While Tess is yet to reveal her next move, Claudia, 53, will host her own chat show, The Claudia Winkleman Show, on BBC One from March 13.