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 💃

The novelty of Traitors has not worn off yet, it will given time

Us traitors seem to be more reality based contestants.

I wonder if the thinking is that older viewers will die, so they need to line up a new audience to replace them?

Well there is a depressing thought 😂

Deeply offended!

But that happens anyway as younger potential viewers grow older and go through the same life phases as their parents.

Radio 2 is still the station promoted for the "over 60s" playing music popular when 60+ liisteners were teens and young clubbers. When I was a teen it played music from when the then 60+ listeners were teens and going dancing.

I became potential audience for Saturday night light ent at the point I had small children and our social life consisted of seeing other people with small children rather than going out clubbing, theatres, socialising out of the house. It was terrestrial TV or blockbuster rentals.

There is more competition for that market but the actual market hasn't really changed which is why I'd say focusing on their core market makes more sense than trying to grab groups who will never supply large numbers of viewers.

I saw that! I think it’s good she’s holding out & staying true to her own colours tan wise - she’d look really weird as orange as Tess & Claudia use to be think!

Sorry!

No offence intended – I'm sorry!

I do see what you're saying. But I was thinking about this when I was listening to 6Music at the weekend; Saturday pm was getting quite clubby/pre-going-out too lively for ancients like me and I'm sure it didn't used to be. Wasn't it heavier on DJs just sort of burbling on (albeit in a witty, articulate way) and sticking on a few records?

Started out that way, the forthcoming new series is a civilian one though.

I am joking. 😀
No offence taken.

Oh, is it? Might be bearable then (I couldn't face watching the reality/'sleb' ones).

I am joking.
I know
But I do know what I said was a bit stark.

With the US one they film it in Scotland with the same castle and production team (unlike other versions) so the tasks are usually identical

And like many reality shows will become too staged and contrived or hit by scandal.

Celebrities will avoid it, viewers will move on.

ATM the celebrities taking part do quite well out of it.

Given the wider definition of celebrity in SCD now, it would be great to add in some ‘Joe public’s’ or some well deserving local hero’s.

Well, I imagine plenty of people in their 40s who grew up with strictly are still fans, and they could easily be around for another 40 years, by which time Strictly may have died a natural death…

For those predicting the demise of SCD, it’s still one of the biggest shows (and biggest exports) on tv, it’s not going anywhere!

Yes the viewing figures are down on previous years (5.8 million this year), but name me the other terrestrial tv shows that can pull in those numbers on the night? There are very few of them.

Yes, I knew that, just had an impression that it was always reality ‘stars’ and thought American ones would be even more annoying than uk ones 😄

@AlwaysExtraHotyeah up til this new series it has all been reality “stars” and weirdly, John Bercow

Chris Appleton is arguably one of the bigger celebrities this year, though. I personally only know him from appearing on Selling Sunset, but I didn't watch the Kardashians, which he was on regularly. He appears on a few US magazine-type shows regularly

Oh really? I hate his hair. 🤔

😅😅

Article on MSN about the contestants' dancing backgrounds.

All the Strictly 2026 stars with previous dance experience

Yes I'm a big fan of Traitors and Celeb Traitors but the US series was the iteration I gave up on. I didn't recognise the people but it was obvious they all knew each other before the show and were working in teams and performing for the camera. It felt very scripted.

I think the Oz/NZ versions had some local celebs but not so famous that the rest of the house automatically recognised them and it didn't have the same feel of performing for their network.

If the US is going to try a regular series I might look in and watch it again.