Picture this: the glittering ballroom of Strictly Come Dancing, that sacred BBC shrine where sequins sparkle brighter than the crown jewels and every misstep becomes a meme for the ages. For 22 years, the nation has risen (or stumbled) with Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman – the elegant empress and the quirky queen bee, whose chemistry turned eliminations into therapy sessions and score reveals into stand-up gold. They were the heartbeat, the hug, the “keep dancing” mantra that glued us to our sofas through scandals and samba slips. But in a bombshell that hit harder than a dropped partner lift, the duo announced their joint exit last month, bowing out after the 2025 finale on December 21. “It’s time for new sparkle,” they teased in a joint statement that left fans ugly-crying into their Ugg boots. Cue the frenzy: Who could possibly fill those glittering stilettos? Enter the unlikeliest dream team yet – reality TV’s bromance brigade, Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks.

If you’ve scrolled TikTok in the last year (and let’s be real, who hasn’t?), you know these two: the 32-year-old Made in Chelsea lothario Sam, all wide-eyed enthusiasm and ADHD-fueled energy, fresh off his 2023 I’m a Celebrity crown; and Pete, 37, the tattooed TOWIE tough guy turned tenderfoot, who tangoed his way to the Strictly semi-finals last year with pro Jowita Przystal (more on that steamy smooch later). Their podcast, Staying Relevant, isn’t just a chat-fest – it’s a chart-topping phenomenon, blending brutal honesty, boyish banter, and enough self-deprecation to make even Ed Sheeran blush. They’ve sold out the O2 with live shows, dropped a bestselling book (Stay Relevant: The Manual), and turned their friendship into a brand that screams “unfiltered mates in a filtered world.” So when Notebook magazine cornered them for an exclusive shoot on November 14 – all confetti cannons and cheeky poses – it was inevitable: Would they step up to host Strictly’s glittering void?

The clip from their interview dropped like a glitter bomb at midnight, and within hours, #SamAndPeteForStrictly was trending harder than a viral paso doble. Sam, ever the hype man, didn’t miss a beat. As the interviewer floated the question – “You two as the new Tess and Claud?” – his face lit up like Blackpool Tower on finale night. “Pete has to be the new presenter!” he squealed, practically bouncing off the velvet chaise. “He has to do it! Imagine the chaos – we’d turn eliminations into absolute carnage!” Pete, mid-sip of his espresso martini (because of course), choked on a laugh, his signature smirk cracking into full-blown hysteria. “Mate, I’m not ready to cut in a fringe,” he fired back, channeling Claudia’s iconic bob with a dramatic hand-flip. “Tess and Claudia are so brilliant and so professional, and we’re useless. It would be the most chaotic thing in the world, me and Sam doing it. I don’t think Strictly will be asking us any time soon.”

Cue the eight-word mic drop that’s been GIF’d to oblivion: “We’re useless.” Fans lost it – 1.2 million views on the teaser alone, with comments flooding in like a flash mob. “They’d be PERFECT – think of the ad-libs during ad breaks!” one stan raved. Another: “Sam hyping the celebs, Pete roasting the judges? BBC, sign them NOW.” But beneath the banter, there’s a poignant pulse. Pete, who poured his heart (and hips) into Strictly 2024, admitted the duo’s departure floored him. “It was a big surprise,” he confessed, his usual swagger softening. “I’m gutted to see them go. I adore both of them – they’re so good at what they do. They are Strictly. They were always so warm to me when I was on, even when I was sweating through my shirts like a malfunctioning sprinkler.” Sam nodded furiously, adding, “They set the bar stratospheric. But if anyone could crash through it with style, it’s these two idiots.”

The timing couldn’t be more electric. Strictly’s 2025 series has been a rollercoaster: record viewership (up 15% post-scandal reforms), a lineup boasting everyone from a chart-topping K-pop idol to a retired rugby legend, and whispers of a “curse revival” after three pro-celeb hookups (Pete’s included – hold that thought). Tess and Claudia’s exit, announced October 23 in a tear-jerker video from the Elstree Studios, cited “20 magical years” and a craving for “fresh sequins.” But the void? It’s yawning. Bookies have odds flying: AJ Odudu and Angela Scanlon as frontrunners for a female duo nod, Dermot O’Leary for the bloke brigade, even a wild-card punt on Rylan Clark-Neal for solo sparkle. Sam and Pete? They’re at 50/1 – long shots, but the kind that pay off in viral gold.

And let’s talk credentials, because these lads aren’t total amateurs. Pete’s Strictly stint was no gimmick: paired with Jowita, he jived from underdog to semi-finalist, nailing a Viennese waltz that had Anton Du Beke misty-eyed and Shirley Ballas dubbing him “a diamond in the rough.” Off the floor? That infamous kiss – three lip-locks during a Staying Relevant O2 gig in March, where Jowita gatecrashed for a choreographed clinch that sparked “curse confirmed” headlines. “It was all in the routine,” Pete shrugged later, but the chemistry? Undeniable. Sam, meanwhile, brings the hosting chops: he helmed MTV’s The Challenge spin-offs and co-presented a Comic Relief special with Zara McDermott (pre their January split – oof). Their podcast live shows? Masterclasses in crowd control – think 20,000 screaming fans chanting “Stay Relevant!” while the duo roast each other over exes and egg orders.

Yet, in classic Sam-and-Pete fashion, the dream sours into self-sabotage gold. “We’d probably get axed after week one,” Pete deadpanned. “Sam would trip over the confetti cannon, and I’d accidentally swear live on BBC One during the paso.” Sam, undeterred, piled on: “Yeah, but think of the ratings! ‘Strictly: The Bromance Edition’ – with mandatory mate-dates for the celebs.” Their Notebook chat veered into deeper waters too: Pete reflecting on Strictly’s “humbling” grind (“I miss the routine – threw myself way out of my zone”), Sam teasing Pete’s rumored spark with Jowita (“Mate, you two were electric – don’t deny the fringe forever!”). It’s this blend – boyish dreams dashed with brutal banter – that makes them magnetic. In a post-Strictly gate scandal era, where the show craves levity laced with loyalty, they’d inject the kind of unpretentious joy Tess and Claud mastered.

BBC bosses? Silent as a soundcheck so far, but insiders buzz: “They’re on the radar – chaotic, but charismatic.” Fan campaigns are already afoot – petitions on Change.org (“Make Sam & Pete the New Strictly Squad!”) hitting 50K signatures overnight. Even Claudia herself chimed in on her Radio 2 slot yesterday: “Pete and Sam? Adorable. They’d bring the laughs – and probably a few wardrobe malfunctions.” Tess, ever the diplomat, tweeted a heart-eyes emoji under their interview clip: “Love these boys. Whoever gets the gig, keep dancing.”

As the 2025 finalists shimmy toward Blackpool (airdate November 16 – mark your calendars), the host hunt heats up like a final-week fever. Could Sam and Pete – the besties who’ve turned vulnerability into virality – be the tonic Strictly needs? Their verdict? A hilarious hard no, wrapped in a wink that screams “maybe.” In a world of polished pros, their “useless” charm might just be the sparkle the ballroom’s begging for. One thing’s certain: if they snag the gig, eliminations won’t just be emotional – they’ll be epic.