Strictly 2026 : THE LAUNCH SHOW 19.25hrs How will our new presenters fare ? NO SPOILERS

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

A shiny new thread for a shiny new series. Please bring your dancing shoes over here.

Not sure whether I am doing weekly threads or not yet. Yet to decide, but I’m doing one for the first episode anyway.

The preshow chat thread has been quiet and I’m wondering if lots of people aren’t watching due to the departure of Tess and Claude. I have my reservations about the new presenting team but I’m willing to give them a chance.

KEEP DANCING 💃

I really didn't miss Claudia at all,

Josh and JoJo were just as I was expecting, hopeless. Whoever picked those two needs sacking. Zoe would have been a trillion times better. Emma is a pro but needs a wardrobe check.

You do know that not every Welsh person has a strong accent?!
When she played Gwen she had to put on a strong accent to go with the fact that Barry is a pretty rough town, consequently a lot of the people who live there have a strong accent.

I dip in and out of strictly. Thought I would take a look at this thread. So many nasty comments about the presenters and Emmas dress - ffs grow up!

Johannes is my favourite dancer and its such a waste to lose him to presenting.
I didn't think he was great in that role ,maybe he will improve in time.
Emma was ok and i think she will be good.
As for that funny little fella god only knows why they thought he'd be suitable....

Yes i know that, i just didn't realise her accent wasn't as welsh as her characters. She is also quite "Welsh "in Death Valley too, her accent isn't as Welsh as id expected, it wasn't a criticism.

I thought it was much for fun and interesting than the boring pair up shows of old. I like all the presenters too but I do think 3 is too many as they should have too many for each role. Not sure why they did this. It’s rather overwhelming….

I enjoyed it , I am just gutted that Lawrence didn't get Lauren 😞.

Do we think they /the judges/producers really paired them all off , just by that dance off swap partners thing ?

Yes they would have been officially paired off.

Who is lawrence ?

I really enjoyed it. I liked Josh's hummor and was realy pleased that Jo Jo didn't ham/camp it up. I loved all three of the new presenters. Loved the song in the new professionals dance (New Religion by Bebe Rexha). I loved the same sex female couple and I though Delta looked stunning. Will be tunning in next week.

I like all the presenters individually but for me a great presenting team would be quirkier. Zoe Ball and Lucy Beaumont would have been fun. Or Zoe and someone like Nicky Mohammed.

I actually enjoyed it… i liked the 3 together. Emma is a natural and true professional and the other two were great alongside. I thought the star cast came across well and I’m looking forward to the series.

Loads of them have English accents now.

Lawrence Robb.
Scottish actor who is in Emerdale as Mack .

Did one of the slebs ask the hairdresser if Ariana Grande smelt good? That came across a bit strange, both strange to say it and strange for that to make the final edit in a prime time tv programme.

Yes, they did. It was a strange question.
I don't mind Josh, Emma is bland and I preferred Tess and JoJo mumbles a lot. I don't think it's his accent.

Claudia is not missed and I'd probably like the traitors as the line up looks good for the sleb one but I can no longer watch her.

Doesn't Arianna Grande have her own perfume range ?

It might have been relevant to that ?

I found Emma a bit formulaic and scripted. Wish they’d gone for Zoe B.

It was weird having 3 presenters but I quite liked Josh by the end. I think he’ll come out with some funny ad hoc stuff.

Not keen on JoJo being there, maybe he’ll be more involved in the training sections.

Craig’s hair looked nice.

Agreed 100%. I really enjoyed it. I only ever know about half the celebs, so that never bothers me, as I genuinely enjoy just seeing them grow, and I thought all of them seemed nice. There's usually someone I (irrationally) take a dislike to straight away, and there was no one like that tonight. I watch for Saturday evening entertainment, and I think my winter Saturday evenings are going to remain enjoyable.

Oh really? I didn’t know that. Maybe if they’d said something about that it would have made more sense then! I was imagining someone putting their nose to the back of her neck, breathing in deeply and saying ‘Ariana darling you smell divine’ and it all being very Hollywood.

Asking about a perfume range = quite normal.

Why they didn’t go for Rylan I don’t know he would have been great with Emma. He really wanted the job too.

I'm glad they didn't go for Zoe, I find her very irritating.

I did, too ! It seemed a lot more genuine. The 3 presenters didn't make it about themselves.
Emma isn't the ubiquitous female TV presenter with long wavy hair and injected lips. A refreshing change.

I completely agree with you! I really enjoyed it . I thought it was more genuine, more about the dance and more about the contestants. It was a lot of fun, perfect for Saturday night.