Ellie Taylor to host Emma Willis’s BBC Radio 2 show

Comedian Ellie Taylor will temporarily replace Emma Willis on her BBC Radio 2 Saturday lunchtime show. Taylor is set to host the 1pm to 3pm slot starting Saturday, September 26.

The handover occurs as Willis shifts her focus to presenting the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing. Willis joins a revamped hosting trio for the dance competition that includes Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe, replacing former hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

In addition to her radio duties, Taylor has been confirmed as the new host of the Strictly companion series, It Takes Two, succeeding Janette Manrara and Fleur East. Taylor, who was a contestant on Strictly in 2022, expressed excitement about returning to the station and immersing herself in the ballroom atmosphere.