Strictly Come Dancing Revamp Talks Loom as Ratings and Host Changes Draw Scrutiny
With launch-night viewing at 5.3 million, reports point to talks about next year’s format as the BBC rejects claims of imminent line-up changes.
Strictly Come Dancing has reached the midpoint of its current series with its biggest question hanging over next year: how can the show restore the sparkle viewers expect while adapting to a new presenting team and a run of format changes? Reports say BBC executives plan to discuss ideas after the series ends, though the broadcaster has dismissed claims that changes to the line-up are imminent.
The scale of the challenge is reflected in the launch show’s overnight audience: 5.3 million viewers. The article reports that later figures have stayed around an average level, a marked change for a programme that once drew more than 10 million viewers. It has also fallen behind The Great British Bake Off and ITV dramas in the comparisons cited.
Those figures have arrived alongside a stack of changes. Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe took over as a presenting trio, while other parts of the programme have also had a new look. For a familiar entertainment format, that means viewers have had several adjustments to absorb at once. The reported concern among insiders is that the show’s glamour and polish have been diluted.
What the reported discussions could mean
A source speaking to The Mail on Sunday described executives as “bereft” about the programme’s current standing, comparing its former “Premier League” status with a “League One standard”. The same source said people inside the BBC still believe in the show and want to bring back its “jazz and glamour”. They said conversations had taken place and a proper meeting would be held to put forward ideas for viewers.
That account points to a discussion about the programme’s wider feel, not simply a decision about who presents it. A revamp could involve how the show presents its dance, entertainment and familiar rituals as a whole. The source said it was too late to make substantial changes to the current series but argued that the programme could be overhauled for next year. No specific plans were set out.
Reports of possible changes to the presenters have added pressure. Speculation has already focused on whether the trio will continue after one series. Emma has been warmly received, while Josh and Johannes have faced harsh online criticism. Josh, in particular, has been described by some viewers as “out of his depth”. Those reactions are being presented as part of the debate around the new team, rather than evidence that a decision has been made.
One source quoted by the Daily Mail said the trio had initially been viewed as an ideal choice, but claimed that assessment had not held up. The source argued that long-time viewers were switching off and that some people had begun treating the show as a joke. They also suggested decision-makers may have been trying too hard to make the presenting line-up seem youthful and unconventional. Those are a source’s criticisms; the programme’s audience figures provide a separate measure of its current reach.
The same source called for a “slicker” show and said the casting process should have drawn more heavily on experienced auditionees. Names mentioned as alternatives included Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark. Other reported contenders were Radio 1’s Clara Amfo, DJ Sara Cox, former It Takes Two co-host Fleur East and This Morning presenter Sian Welby. Welby previously said she “burst out crying” after a two-and-a-half-hour audition, as reported here.
The judging panel is another open question
The presenting team isn’t the only part of the show facing uncertainty. Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse have been the steady presence on the judging panel through a period of change that has included a refreshed It Takes Two with Ellie Taylor, departures among long-serving professional dancers and a new results-show spin-off. The article says the judges’ contracts are due for renewal, creating fresh questions about continuity.
One source said the panel had been expected to provide stability for this series, with contractual arrangements offering “one less headache” for the programme’s bosses. Now, the same account suggests that no outcome can be taken for granted. Shirley, who has served as head judge for a decade, is described as the person whose departure concerns insiders most. That remains speculation: no decision by Ballas or another judge is confirmed in the report.
If a judge did leave, the report says Johannes could be considered as a possible replacement, should he also step away from presenting. That possibility illustrates how closely the questions around the show’s different roles are now linked. But it is a reported scenario, not a confirmed casting plan.
There is a clear limit to what can be concluded from the current reports. Metro understands that staff aren’t aware of any imminent line-up changes, and a BBC spokesperson called the claims “pure and utter speculation”. The BBC has also been contacted for comment on the reported plans. For now, the strongest indication is that questions about the show’s direction will come into sharper focus once this year’s winner is crowned and the next series is on the table.
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The next test for its team is to decide which parts of the show need refreshing—and which familiar elements still give viewers a reason to return.
