Strictly Come Dancing fans have finally had their say over Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe as the new hosts – and they’re not holding back with their honesty.
Tonight, the BBC series finally returned, with lots of changes coming into effect.
In addition to Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman being nowhere to be seen, replaced by a trio of presenters, there are also several new pro dancers and, of course, a brand new batch of celebrities, including Dani Dyer, Lacey Turner, Bethany Antonia and Will Best.
Before the start of the 2026 series, a lot of longtime viewers had their doubts about the new presenters, as they wondered how the show would work with three personalities fronting the programme.
Some naysayers weren’t sure whether Josh would be a good fit given his career as a stand-up comedian, whereas Emma has presented shows like Big Brother and The Voice UK, and Johannes has been a part of Strictly as a professional dancer since 2018.
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However, plenty of other people defended him, excited to see how he’d bring his dry wit to the ballroom – and now, after the first episode of the season, the verdicts are flying in from fans on social media.
What do you think of Emma, Johannes and Josh hosting Strictly?
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I love them!
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I’m not a fan
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I’m undecided
Writing on X, one Strictly fan called Owen said that Emma was ‘outshining the other two so much’.
Several people claimed that ‘three’s a crowd’, while Ryan admitted his believe that Josh was ‘out of place’, adding: ‘I get we can have comic relief but I think Emma & Johannes can do that too 🤷🏼♂️.’
‘3 presenters just seems unnecessary, don’t see the point of it,’ Suzi wrote, while Sue added: ‘The intro was far too long and as for presenters, two’s company three’s a crowd!’
Despite a lot of dubious reactions about the set-up of a trio, and disbelief that the new presenters are the right fit, others were a lot more positive about how Josh, Johannes and Emma handled their first episode.
‘Josh is doing well. And I was sceptical. This year just feels so fresh and new. Loving it,’ Olivia said.
‘I’m going to be controversial here…. I like Emma, JoJo and Josh!’ wrote Mrs Brightside, while Beverly stated: ‘I wanted to hate the new #Strictly but here I am digging it! Even Josh!’
Another fan called Helen said that she was enjoying the return of Strictly so much that she ‘might be back onboard for this season’, implying that she had been considering giving it a miss.
JD added: ‘I really hope people give things chance to bed in and settle. It’s the launch show, nerves are huge and all launches are different to the main show. Just give them all time!’
Who are the Strictly couples for the 2026 series?
The full line-up of celebrities and their pro dancer partners are:
- Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola
- Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley
- Jowita Przystal and Lawrence Robb
- Will Best and Dianne Buswell
- Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr
- Melanie Walters and Aljaz Skorjanec
- Mark Karmalita and Tabby Stoecker,
- Julian Caillon and Dame Sarah Storey
- Maddie Ingoldsby and Cach Mercer
- Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden
- John Nellis and Katya Jones
- Carlos Gu and Jaime Winstone
- Nikita Kuzmin and Dani Dyer
- Kai Widdrington and Delta Goodrem
- Nancy Xu and Bethany Antonia
Emma, Johannes and Josh were announced as the new presenters of Strictly in May after months of anticipation.
Reacting to their newly-appointed roles, Emma said at the time that she’d been a ‘huge fan’ of the show for years.
‘It’s impossible to fill the shoes that Tess and Claudia have left behind – two wonderful, iconic women who have been the beating heart of Strictly for so long. I can only hope that we are able to help to steer the ship as beautifully as they have, into this new chapter.’ she said.
Johannes felt ‘deeply honoured’ by his new position, saying that Strictly has ‘always stood for joy, heart and togetherness’.
Josh recalled competing in the 2024 Christmas special, expressing that he was ‘giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed’.
Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday night on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.