BREAKING NEWS: BBC Strictly first dances revealed as 15 couples prepare for live show
Strictly Come Dancing is officially moving into competition mode, with all 15 celebrity couples preparing to perform live for the first time this weekend.
Following last week’s launch show, viewers now know the full line-up of partnerships competing in the 2026 series, with each celebrity finally discovering which professional dancer will guide them through the ballroom.
The new series has also marked a major change for the BBC favourite, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe taking over as the programme’s new presenting team.
They have replaced Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who stepped away from the show last year.
Now attention turns firmly to the dancefloor as the celebrities prepare to face the judges for their opening routines.
Strictly Week One Officially Begins
The first live show will see each of the 15 couples perform their opening routine of the competition.
The soundtrack will feature a mixture of major artists and familiar hits, with songs ranging from Whitney Houston to Robbie Williams.
Some celebrities will begin with dances they may have hoped to receive, while others are set to face a very different challenge straight away.
For several of the contestants, Saturday night will mark their first experience of performing a full ballroom or Latin routine live in front of millions of viewers.
The pressure will therefore increase considerably compared with the pre-recorded launch episode.
No Elimination in Opening Week
There is one piece of good news for the nervous celebrities.
Nobody will be eliminated during the first live show.
There will also be no public vote this weekend, meaning every couple is guaranteed to return for week two.
However, the judges will still be watching closely.
Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will award the first scores of the 2026 competition.
Those marks will not disappear after Saturday night.
Instead, the week-one scores will be carried forward and combined with the results from the second live show.
That means a difficult opening routine could still have consequences once voting begins.
Beth and Nancy Take on the Quickstep
Among the couples preparing to make their competitive debut are Beth and professional partner Nancy.
The pair are set to tackle the Quickstep for their first routine.
It will give viewers their first proper opportunity to see how the partnership works under live-show pressure after weeks of rehearsals.
Elsewhere, Emmerdale star Lawrence and Jowita Przystal are also preparing to step onto the ballroom floor as the competition gets underway.
The source provided does not include the song or dance assigned to Lawrence and Jowita.
Jaime and Carlos Face the Tango
Another couple with their first routine confirmed in the supplied material is Jaime and professional partner Carlos.
They will perform a Tango to Donna Summer’s classic track I Feel Love.
The dramatic dance will immediately test their technique, performance skills and partnership during their very first scored appearance of the series.
First Scores Could Matter More Than They Seem
Although nobody will leave the competition this weekend, the celebrities cannot afford to treat the first live show as a rehearsal.
Their opening scores will follow them into week two, when viewers are finally given the opportunity to vote for their favourite couples.
That is when the competition will begin to carry real consequences.
For now, all 15 partnerships have one immediate goal: make the strongest possible first impression.
With a new presenting team, a fresh group of celebrities and the judges ready to reveal their first scores, Strictly Come Dancing 2026 is finally moving from introductions to the real competition.
The supplied source ends before providing the complete list of all 15 dances and songs, so only the routines specifically included in the material have been stated here.
