I'm off: Alesha Dixon is leaving Strictly Come Dancing after three years on the panel
One's a professional dancer, while the other was an amateur who ended up a Strictly Come Dancing champion.

Following Alesha Dixon's shock announcement she was quitting Strictly Come Dancing to join the Britain's Got Talent panel, a host of female stars have been tipped to replace her.

And leading the favourites are 2010 winner Kara Tointon, 28, and the show's former professional Karen Hardy, 41.
Who will replace her? Who will sit with Craig Revel Horwood, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli?
With Bruno Tonioli, Len Goodman and Craig Revel-Horwood remaining on the panel, there is a fourth place left for a lone female judge.

When news of pop star Dixon's departure broken on Monday afternoon, a string of MailOnline readers called for Hardy to be her replacement.

Although she left the show as one of the professionals in 2008, she is a regular guest on BBC2 spin-off show It Takes Two, giving commentary and critique of the performances.

Other names in the fray include last year's contestant Chelsee Healey, Polish professional Ola Jordan and Dirty Dancing actress Jennifer Grey - who was a guest judge last year and won Dancing With The Stars in the U.S.

However, a familiar face in the form of original judge Arlene Phillips has also been tipped to return with 6/1 odds by Ladbrokes.

The BBC were accused of ageism when Phillips was controversially dropped from the panel in favour of Dixon - who is 36 years younger.


However, with the new judging line-up for Strictly not expected to be announced until late spring or early summer, fans could be in for a wait to find out Dixon's replacement.

Former Mis-teeq singer Dixon stunned BBC executives yesterday morning by quitting the Corporation’s flagship Saturday evening programme.

Within hours, she was unveiled as a judge in the revamped BGT, which begins auditioning for contestants later this month.


Miss Dixon, 33, is said to be receiving £350,000 for her new job – believed to be three times her Strictly salary estimated at £100,000. Last night her manager Malcolm Blair insisted she had not moved for money.

He said talks had been going on between ITV and Miss Dixon for the last ‘couple of weeks’.