Strictly 2026 : WEEK ONE 18.15PM Sooo many SAAMMBAAS. NO SPOILERS.

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

Housekeeping : If the thread goes down like last week it’s not anything to do with me, complaints to Site Stuff

100 posts left on previous thread but majority agreed to a weekly thread so here we are, please board the glitterbus

I’ve put NO SPOILERS but I don’t think we have an elimination this week. In any case the Spoiler Thread is here :

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5578073-strictly-2026-spoiler-thread-for-results-and-couplings?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

Cheers

KEEP DANCING

Emma is just her whatever she is doing. I like her more natural style and she doesn’t seem to fawn over people too much. She seems fairly relaxed here.
It’s early days for all them though.

@AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta I would prefer that to the VT of cups of coffee and walks on the beach. A couple of technical questions from JoJo. Make use of his experience. Leave Emma and Josh to try and develop some chemistry. Might work: gorgeous smart girl and geek with winning smile.

Half way they must have thought: this is shit! Quick, run the trailer for movie week!

Exactly. And it might lessen the Dead Nan/visits from relatives/jaunts round workplaces quota. Which wouldn't be a bad thing either.

I wonder how far in advance they sort out who is doing which dance. It must be sad to be voted off before you try the one dance you like or are good at.
They must have some plans in place because of the music being planned and arranged as well.

My favourites were Lacey, Graham, Sarah, chap with Katya whose name I have forgotten - I did say to DH she could make anyone look good because she is just brilliant .

im old school and wished if was back to a cha cha & a waltz rather than them doing all sorts of dances. If the pros get some say then well done to anyone getting the samba out the way.

I would really like the quarter finals and semis to have the same kind of range of dances so you are comparing similar dances eg Argentine Tango, Couplea Choice, maybe the Rumba rather than someone getting to do say an Argentine Tango and a Quickstep against someone else being stuck with a Samba and a Waltz.

I agreed with Craig etc about Cash - but tbf it was his professional let him down - Katya breaks rules/conventions but just knows better than to do it on week one - save it for when it will really count .

re Sarah - I think she looked beautiful - I loved hers and Katyas outfits. I wasnt a fan of Dani Dyers outfit or the strange weird trousers of Shaun - they were very distracting in a bad way. I think he could be first to go .

John Nellis is with Katya. He is a ‘ u tuber’ . I’ve never heard of him before.
She is so good , I think they will do well.

Katya is superb!

They over ran by a good 5 minutes last night. Just goes to show what a tight ship Tess and Claudia ran in keeping Judges/Contestants from waffling on too long. When there are 15 contestants it only takes each one to over-run by 20 seconds before you’re in real trouble.

I'd stick Emma on a spin off, maybe swap her with Ellie Taylor who is a brilliant presenter and bags of charisma/likeability. Josh upstairs and bin JoJo - stick on the dance commentator section of something. That would be my preference with the current setup/programmes.

@BeaLola im old school and wished if was back to a cha cha & a waltz rather than them doing all sorts of dances.

I think that every year! It worked better as a format and I don't think it needed messing about with.

I’m watching on catch up, mainly to see how the new presenters got on, because there are too many couples at this stage and I prefer to start watching closer to Christmas when there are only a few good ones remaining.

It was getting on my nerves that Johannes kept talking before the couple got to the top of the stairs, surely someone could have given him a cue when to start speaking! I like Josh and Emma. I think Joannes needs the help upstairs from Josh and Emma can hold her own downstairs. Controversial maybe but I prefer Emma to Tess. Wish Claudia would come back though for upstairs.

Agree...another reason I wasn't keen on him last night. Covering poor Will's nipples for that long was so cringe.

I actually find him funny in other contexts although find his voice grating on the radio but he's just not Strictly glamour and escapism for me.

I was impressed with the quality of dancing generally - just catching up today. My favourite dances were Bethany and Nancy, Graham and Lauren and Lacey and Vito. I felt the judges should have criticised Maddie the pro for that routine not Cach. I think Len would have. He can only dance the routine he’s given.

I was really impressed by Emma. I preferred her to Tess! Jojo I felt was being cued incorrectly surely? It happened so many times. I felt sorry for him it was not good. I hope he gets better. Loved his outfit - why should he wear a suit? Mind you he looks good in anything. I’m reserving judgement on Josh - I really like him and I think he’ll improve but it didn’t work very well last night.

Anything is better than Rylan, well nearly.

I am recording it from now on and then zipping through all the garbage, like Josh and JJ. I only watch it for the dancing and the points given by the judges. It has become really silly. As for what JJ was wearing - I give up.

I think that I’ll start recording it or watch on I player and whizz through all the chit chat and other bits and just watch the dancers and the scores.

Yes , your idea about him being a roving reporter would be good
He could also be used in the training room too
So Emma as the main person Josh upstairs and Jojo as a RR. Jojo could also do some of the pro dances .
I really like JoJo and I want him to do well
I am going to be positive and see how it goes . It will get better

I agree with the suggestions about JoJo - roving reporter, visiting training rooms, chatting to hair/make-up bods etc. I'm not sure he'll ever be up to spontaneous chat in the pit.

It felt like a Bruce /tess set up with Josh n Emma. I hope they do rotate as it could be better. It feels like the dancing standard is pretty high this year. The majority of them were pretty good.

JJ seems to have main character syndrome and is just tedious. All the rictus grinning and over enunciating is excruciating.

Have they ever got rid of a new presenter on a high profile show before? I can't recall, so think we're stuck with him until Christmas unfortunately.

Would make headlines if the bbc did get shot of Josh or JJ so soon, but social media is a lot to blame and people were not happy at all with the new set up.

He doesn't over enunciate, he's South African, that's how he speaks.

Aren't Motsi and Oti SA? They don't do that ott enunciating thing.

I wonder why his pood presenting skills weren't noted in auditions and rehearsals, this surely cannot be a shock to the producers?

Main character syndrome, yes that’s exactly it.
It was bizarre how he was holding court upstairs with the other 2 downstairs.