Entertainment · TV & Streaming · 18 hrs ago
Strictly viewers complain that first live show had too little dancing
Viewers of Strictly Come Dancing's first live show complained that the programme spent too much time talking and not enough time dancing.
The show’s new presenting team is Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe, replacing Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
A timing analysis found that dancing took 27 minutes of the 155-minute episode, or 18 per cent of its airtime.
The equivalent first live show last year included 30 minutes of dancing in an episode five minutes shorter, while dancing made up 32 per cent of the first week in 2009.
Some viewers criticised what they saw as lengthy presenter discussions, including after judges gave contestants their scores.
The BBC disputed the comparison, saying this series had featured significantly more dancing than last year's at the equivalent stage.
The first live show of the current Strictly Come Dancing series included 27 minutes of dancing in a 155-minute episode, according to the Daily Mail.
That amounted to 18 per cent of the episode, compared with 20 per cent in the equivalent episode last year.
Some viewers complained that the show had too much presenter discussion and not enough dancing.
The BBC disputed the comparison, saying the current series had featured significantly more dancing than last year at the equivalent stage.
The series is hosted by Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe.
- Who
- Strictly Come Dancing viewers and the BBC.
- What
- Viewers complained that the first live show had too little dancing and too much discussion; the BBC disputed the report's comparison.
- When
- The first live week of the 2026 series; the article was published on 7 November 2026.
- Where
- The BBC's Strictly Come Dancing show.
- Why
- Some viewers said presenter discussion was taking time away from dancing. The BBC said the current series had featured significantly more dancing than last year at the equivalent stage.
Strictly viewers who wanted more dancing
BBC
Dance time
Strictly viewers who wanted more dancing
Viewers complained that there was too much talking and too little dancing.
BBC
The BBC said the current series had featured significantly more dancing than last year's at the equivalent stage.
Performance time made up 32 per cent of the first week's episode.
Dancing took up half an hour, or 20 per cent of the first live-week episode, according to the article.
Dancing took up 27 minutes of the 155-minute episode, according to the Daily Mail.
The Daily Mail published its report on viewer complaints and the dancing-time comparison.
- Dancing time
- 27 minutes in the first live-week episode
- Episode length
- 155 minutes
- Share of airtime
- 18 per cent, according to the Daily Mail
- Previous year's dancing
- Half an hour, or 20 per cent of the episode
- Presenters
- Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe
What people are saying
Just show us dances, scores, a pro dance and a minute or two VT [videotape] for each couple, we don't need any more.
significantly more dancing