Strictly Come Dancing has officially returned to the small screen for its 24th series, marking a significant transition for the popular ballroom competition. The show enters a new era with a revamped presenting team, as broadcaster Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe, and former Strictly professional Johannes Radebe stepped into their new roles on Saturday. The trio takes over from long-running hosting duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who departed the programme last year.
The launch show was a high-energy affair, beginning with an expansive opening dance routine featuring the entire cast. Following the performance, Willis expressed that leading the show was a "genuine honour." Radebe praised Widdicombe for his dancing ability, while Widdicombe admitted the experience was "a little bit overwhelming" but expressed his delight at joining the production. The new presenting team concluded the show with the traditional call to "staaart dancing!" after the pairings were finalized.
This series introduced a unique method for revealing the celebrity and professional partnerships. In a segment resembling musical chairs, the contestants moved through a series of dance routines, switching partners until the music paused to reveal the final pairings. The full list of couples is as follows: actress Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola; reality TV star Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin; hair stylist to the stars Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden; Australian singer and actress Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington; DJ and social media personality Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby; TV and radio presenter Will Best and Dianne Buswell; Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon; actress Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu; TV and stage actress Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu; former England footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr; presenter and author Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley; actor Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystał; skeleton athlete Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita; YouTuber John Nellis and Katya Jones; and TV and stage actress Melanie Walters and Aljaž Škorjanec.
Notable moments included the return of reality star Dani Dyer, who is competing for a second time after withdrawing from the previous series due to a fractured ankle. She expressed immense happiness at the pairing, while her partner, Nikita Kuzmin, noted he had "tears of joy" during the announcement. Additionally, actress Bethany Antonia and professional Nancy Xu became the third two-woman couple to compete in the show. Antonia shared that watching the 2020 series, where boxer Nicola Adams and Katya Jones performed together, was a "big part of my coming out journey."
The ballroom also welcomed back reigning champion and former Lionness Karen Carney for a final spin. Clad in the same diamante-encrusted football shirt, Carney recreated the Jive that first marked her out as a contender in her series, alongside dance partner Carlos Gu. "I absolutely feel like I'm at home," Carney told Willis after the routine, as she paid tribute to her pro partner. In 13 weeks time, she will have to surrender that glitterball trophy to a new victor.
The professional cast also expanded, with five new dancers—Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby, and Mark Karmalita—making their debut from the UK, Canada, Italy, South Africa, and Ukraine. The five made a high-impact entrance, performing a searing routine that kicked off on top of an enormous encaged disco ball.
While the judges—Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke—featured less prominently in this launch episode, resident villain Horwood maintained his reputation with a sharp critique of broadcaster Will Best’s hip action: "Call in the paramedics darling, dislocation – my goodness."
