Strictly is 'in resus' as ratings slump to 5 million and BBC insiders blame new hosting trio

From the Newshound archive · first published 3 October 2026.

Strictly Come Dancing's revamped first live show peaked at just 5.049 million viewers, down sharply from 6.2 million at the same stage last year, with BBC insiders privately describing the show as "in resus." The three-presenter lineup of Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe drew a bruising response, with one BBC employee calling the debut "absolutely amateurish." The crisis deepened when BBC's Celebrity Traitors, fronted by outgoing Strictly host Claudia Winkleman, pulled more than 9 million viewers on Thursday.

Former Strictly pro James Jordan said the presenting setup "doesn't really work," singling out the gap in quality between Emma Willis and her two co-hosts.

Josh Widdicombe quit social media this week after a wave of online backlash following his debut, while Emma Willis posted a cryptic quote about "breaking free from judgment."

Matt Willis has now broken cover to defend his wife, insisting Emma is "perfect" for the job and that taking "the biggest job on TV" was not something they had planned.