Josh Widdicombe’s Halloween Suit Sparks Strictly Come Dancing Backlash

Josh Widdicombe’s plain green suit became one of Halloween Week’s talking points on Strictly Come Dancing. While the judges and his co-hosts embraced the night’s spooky theme, Widdicombe presented in his usual clothes, prompting viewers to question why he was the lone holdout.

The contrast was hard to miss. Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke arrived in elaborate outfits, while Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe added a glamorous, spooky touch to their looks. Widdicombe, 43, wore a sharply cut green suit, but offered no costume to match the occasion.

That choice landed in a broader context: audiences have already given the new presenting team a tough reception since Widdicombe joined Willis, 20, and Radebe, 39. His decision to skip the Halloween dress-up gave those viewers another reason to question whether the trio has found its rhythm. Some fans saw a missed chance to join in; others read more into his apparent reluctance.

Viewers spot the contrast

Online reactions focused less on the suit itself than on how out of step it looked beside the rest of the show. One viewer wondered, “Did they not let Josh dress up this week as he didn’t do his homework or something?” Another asked, “Why is Josh the only one who isn’t dressed up?”

A third fan joked, “I see Josh has pushed the boat out for Halloween with his costume. Sometimes, I get the feeling he really doesn’t want to be there.” Another wrote, “Soo disappointed in Josh. He could have at least put in some effort on a Halloween costume.” The comments cast the clothing choice as a question of participation as much as appearance.

Emma and Johannes turn it into a sketch

The show itself soon supplied the answer to the evening’s costume mystery, at least as a comic moment. Introducing Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin, Widdicombe said the pair had gone trick-or-treating during the week. He explained that Emma and Johannes had suggested the three presenters do the same, then added: “But I know they’re just trying to trick me into wearing a ridiculous costume. It takes a lot more than that to fool me.”

Willis appeared in a pumpkin outfit and interrupted to ask, “What’s happening? We’re meant to be trick or treating, the three of us.” She then warned him, “Jojo’s going to be so disappointed.” Radebe arrived dressed to match Willis and playfully answered the slight: “Oh, I see – too good for it, Joshy? No, no I gave you my heart. I didn’t expect to get it back in pieces.”

The exchange let the presenters make the wardrobe mismatch part of the programme rather than leave it as an unaddressed distraction. Still, the joke also sharpened the contrast: Willis and Radebe had committed to the theme, while Widdicombe remained in his suit. Halloween Week gave the new team an easy shared bit of business, and the teasing made clear that his co-hosts had expected him to join in.

A question about the presenting team

The reaction also touches a bigger debate about the show’s hosting choices. Before the trio took over, experienced presenters with ties to the programme, including Rylan Clark, Angela Scanlon and Zoe Ball, were rumoured to be in contention to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Widdicombe’s appointment had the air of a less predictable choice; after the team’s first series began, some viewers and commentators argued that the gamble had not yet paid off.

A report said the BBC was considering changes to the host lineup after one series. A source quoted by The Daily Mail claimed that some people at the BBC had doubts about the trio from the outset, and described the decision as an attempt to appear “kooky and cool” and appeal to younger viewers. The source also argued that the show should be “slicker” and pointed to Ball and Clark as alternatives.

Those remarks remain an attributed source’s assessment, not a confirmed account of any change. A BBC spokesperson told Metro: “This is pure and utter speculation.” The Halloween exchange offers a small window into how the presenters work together on screen, but one costume choice can’t settle the wider question of whether the lineup will win over long-time viewers.

For now, the useful signal is how the trio handles moments that invite comparison. Willis and Radebe turned Widdicombe’s refusal into a light on-air routine; he played along by voicing his suspicions before the reveal. Whether that chemistry grows into a reliable part of the show will matter more than a single night’s wardrobe. Strictly Come Dancing continues tomorrow night at 7.10pm on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.