Contracts of Strictly Come Dancing judges ‘end this year’

The contracts of all four judges on Strictly Come Dancing reportedly expire after the current series ends.

Earlier this year the BBC had to find new hosts for the top-rated show following the departures of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, with their replacements – Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe – receiving a mixed reaction so far.

Now the Daily Mail says that the broadcaster may have to also recruit new members of the judging panel as the incumbent quartet – Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse – are all out of contract in 2027.

“The one thing that the BBC knew would keep some continuity this year was that the judges would all be back,” a source told the newspaper. “They are under contract so that was a guarantee for the bosses and was definitely one less headache for them.

“But anything could happen. Any of them could walk away now and they will be free agents.

“The most likely is Shirley. She has done a decade now and she has grandchildren that she wants to see more of.

“The terms of their contracts will have to be renegotiated, and if the judges don’t like what the BBC is offering maybe they won’t return. It will all be very up in the air in December once this run is over.”

Revel Horwood and Du Beke have been with Strictly since the start in 2004 – the latter initially as a professional dancer – while Ballas joined in 2017 and Mabuse in 2019.