The BBC is facing a major crisis on its flagship Saturday night show after Strictly Come Dancing suffered a staggering drop in ratings for its first live show of the series, following a wave of viewer fury over a controversial presenting shake-up.
Official overnight figures reveal that just 4.8 million viewers tuned in to watch the celebrities take to the ballroom floor for the first time last night. That marks a dramatic decline compared to last year’s opening live show, which pulled in 6.2 million viewers—a loss of 1.4 million fans year-on-year.
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And last week’s pre-recorded launch show won an average of 5.3 million viewers. The sharp drop comes on the heels of last week’s launch show, which sparked unanimous backlash online. Fans were quick to voice their frustration over two major changes: the decision to alter the long-standing format by expanding the hosting lineup from two presenters to three, and the performance of new co-hosts Josh and Johanne.
Social media platforms were flooded with complaints as disappointed viewers questioned the BBC’s casting choices, pointing out a wealth of seasoned talent that was seemingly overlooked. Fans widely questioned how household names and fan favorites such as Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, Sara Cox, Angela Scanlon, and Tom Allen failed to secure the spot alongside anchor Emma Willis.
“With talent like Rylan, Zoe Ball, or Tom Allen right there, how did we end up with this dynamic?” wrote one viewer on X. Another added: “Three hosts just feels crowded and messy. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
Amid the storm of criticism, the sole bright spot for the broadcaster has been Emma Willis. Viewers unanimously praised her trademark warmth, professionalism, and steady hand in steering the live broadcast, with many calling her the “saving grace” of an otherwise chaotic revamp.
Despite the fierce reaction online following the pre-recorded launch, BBC bosses chose to press ahead unchanged for Saturday’s live transmission—a decision that appears to have backfired as over a million viewers chose to tune out altogether.
Whether the BBC will address the backlash or tweak the format in the coming weeks remains to be seen, but with ratings heading in the wrong direction, pressure is mounting fast on the show’s producers.
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