Emma Willis has admitted she is fully expecting to be compared with former Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as she prepares to take on one of the biggest presenting jobs on British television.

The 50-year-old broadcaster is stepping into the ballroom alongside comedian Josh Widdicombe and former professional dancer Johannes Radebe, following the departures of Daly and Winkleman after more than two decades at the heart of the BBC dance competition.

Rather than pretending the comparisons will not happen, Emma has openly acknowledged that she is ready for the scrutiny.

“I’m ready for the comparisons,” she admitted, while also acknowledging that the new presenting team will inevitably face negative opinions as well as positive reactions.

The pressure is understandable. Tess and Claudia became one of the most recognisable presenting partnerships on British television, with their contrasting personalities becoming an important part of the Strictly experience.

Now, Emma, Josh and Johannes are being asked to establish an entirely new dynamic — and they have already made clear that they are not simply trying to recreate what came before.

The new trio have reportedly been experimenting with their roles rather than assigning themselves direct replacements for Tess and Claudia. They have also rejected speculation that each presenter will simply inherit one specific part of the former presenting setup.

For Emma, the opportunity is both exciting and daunting.

The former The Voice UK and Big Brother presenter has plenty of live television experience, but she has admitted that stepping into the Strictly role has made her question whether she is “good enough” for such an iconic job.

Yet she also appears determined not to let the pressure overwhelm her.

Emma has said she intends to focus on enjoying the experience rather than engaging with every criticism that comes her way. Her approach comes as the new presenters prepare for their first full series together, with the BBC promising a fresh chapter for the long-running programme.

Johannes, meanwhile, brings almost a decade of experience inside the Strictly family, having spent eight years as one of the show’s professional dancers. His move from the dance floor to the presenting team represents another major change, while Josh brings a completely different comedic energy to the ballroom.

The three have already shown plenty of chemistry away from the live show. In a promotional video released ahead of the new series, they jokingly struggled through their introduction before Emma laughed that they did not know what they were doing — a moment that quickly attracted attention online.

But beneath the humour is a serious challenge: convincing viewers that Strictly can thrive without the two presenters who defined its most recent era.

The new team will officially take over when the 2026 series begins on September 19, marking the first series without Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

And while comparisons may be inevitable, Emma seems determined to make one thing clear — she is not Tess, Johannes is not Claudia, and this Strictly is set to have a very different personality.

Now, viewers will have the chance to decide whether the new trio can make the ballroom their own.