Strictly Come Dancing: Who will replace Len Goodman?

July 14, 2016Jul 14, 2016, 11:53 AM GMT+1

After 12 years on the panel, Len Goodman has revealed he is stepping down as Strictly Come Dancing head judge at the end of the next series. Here's who we think could replace him…

Anton Du Beke

He's been a dancer on the show since it began in 2004, and now it's been reported that Anton is ready to take a seat on the panel. A source told The Sun: "Anton initially wanted to take over from Brucie when he quit as presenter. He doesn't want to miss out on a big opportunity to join the judges." But he's got some stiff competition…

Brendan Cole

Anton's fellow professional Brendan is said to think he should be the next judge, thanks to his experience on the New Zealand version of the show. The insider continued: "Brendan is confident because he was a hit as a judge on the NZ version and thinks that was perfect grounding."

Gleb Savchenko

Hunky professional Gleb recently quit the show, after revealing he wants to spend more time wife Elena Samodanova and their daughter Olivia – who are based in Russia. But as a judge Gleb could spend weekdays at home with them rather than in rehearsals.

Caroline Flack

TV presenter Caroline was a big hit on the show in 2012 and walked away with the glitter ball trophy. But, after quitting as host of The X Factor, the 36-year-old might consider following in the footsteps of fellow former contestant Alesha Dixon by returning as a judge.

Aliona Vilani

Just months after she quit the show, it's been reported that Aliona is set for a dramatic return – and what would be more dramatic than coming back in Len's place? Aliona waltzed to victory with The Wanted singer Jay McGuinness last year, so it's safe to say she knows what she's talking about!

Donny Osmond

Donny appeared as a guest judge on the show in 2014, but his short-lived stint didn't go down too well with fans. He was called out on social media for "inconsistent scoring" and "stupid comments", and some viewers even demanded that Donny should never be allowed to step in again. Still, weirder things have happened in the world of reality TV.

Jennifer Grey

Hollywood starlet Jennifer sat in for Len in 2011 so we could definitely see her returning for a more permanent role. As the star of Dirty Dancing, possibly the most famous dance-themed movie ever, and the 2010 winner of US show Dancing with the Stars, we'd say Jennifer is more than qualified.

Ola Jordan

She quit last year after insisting the show is "fixed", so something tells us the Strictly bosses aren't in a rush to get Ola back. However, with 10 years' experience and quite a big fan base, and not to mention her stunning looks, there's no denying she'd pull in the viewers.

Kristina Rihanoff

Another former professional, Kristina left the show in January after revealing she was expecting her first child. In July she and partner Ben Cohen announced the arrival of their baby girl exclusively to HELLO!, meaning she might be ready to go back to work by the time the show returns.

Mark Wright

He was one of the stars of series 12 in 2014, and Mark Wright is no stranger to life in front of the camera. With many presenting gigs under his belt, including Take Me Out spin-off show The Gossip and his regular Heart FM show, former TOWIE star Mark could inject some Essex glamour into the panel.

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