BREAKING NEWS: Strictly hosts dealt devastating blow just hours after first live show
Strictly Come Dancing’s new presenting team has been dealt another setback just hours after making its live debut, with a reader poll revealing a sizeable number of viewers remain unconvinced by the revamped line-up.
Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe have replaced long-serving hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman for the 2026 series, marking one of the biggest changes to the BBC competition in years.
But while Emma has won praise for her confidence and professionalism, Josh and Johannes have faced a much more mixed reaction during their first few appearances.
Now an Express poll has added further pressure on the trio.
40% Say They Would Not Watch With Current Hosts
At the time the results were reported, 4,207 of 10,485 respondents — around 40% — said they would not watch Strictly with Emma, Josh and Johannes as the presenting team.
A further 3,199 said they would “definitely” continue watching, while 3,079 remained undecided.
The poll reflects the views of participating Express readers rather than the wider Strictly audience, but it highlights how divided reaction has been to the new format.
The trio had already faced close scrutiny following the pre-recorded launch show.
Josh was criticised by some viewers who felt he appeared visibly nervous and uncomfortable on the ballroom floor, with a number of social media users describing him as a “spare part”.
Johannes also encountered difficulties during the first live show, including microphone and timing issues.
Some viewers have additionally questioned whether the professional dancer appears completely comfortable in his new role away from the dance floor.
First Live Show Draws 4.8 Million
The poll emerged as overnight viewing figures for Saturday’s first live programme were revealed.
Around 4.8 million people watched Emma, Josh and Johannes make their live hosting debut.
A Strictly spokesperson emphasised that the programme still dominated Saturday night television.
“Strictly was the most watched programme of the night, with a peak of five million viewers,” they said.
“As ever, overnight ratings do not give the full picture of all those who watch in an on-demand world.”
The previous week’s launch show had attracted stronger overnight numbers, reaching a peak of 5.8 million and averaging 5.3 million viewers.
Emma Receives Strongest Response
Of the three new presenters, Emma appears to have received the most consistently positive reaction so far.
Her broadcasting experience and calm delivery have been praised by viewers, while questions have instead focused on how Josh and Johannes fit into the three-host structure.
Some fans have argued the programme should return to its traditional two-presenter format.
Johannes currently handles much of the backstage role previously associated with Claudia, speaking to celebrities after they receive their judges’ scores.
Josh, meanwhile, joins Emma on the main ballroom floor.
Several viewers have suggested the format could be simplified, with Emma remaining downstairs and Josh moving into the upstairs role while Johannes returns to dancing.
Others have defended the new presenters, arguing that they need more time to settle into roles previously occupied by two of the programme’s most familiar faces.
Pressure on New Line-Up Continues
Replacing Tess and Claudia was always likely to provoke a strong reaction.
Tess had been part of Strictly since its launch in 2004, while Claudia became an established member of the presenting team after joining in 2010.
Emma, Josh and Johannes therefore face the challenge not only of building their own chemistry, but also of winning over viewers accustomed to the previous partnership.
There is currently no indication that BBC bosses are planning to change the presenting team.
The 2026 series is expected to run every weekend until mid-December, giving the trio plenty of time to develop their rhythm.
For now, however, the mixed viewer response, lower overnight audience compared with the launch show and calls to reduce the number of presenters mean scrutiny surrounding the new Strictly era is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
