Strictly Come Dancing Returns with New Hosts and Celebrity Pairings Revealed
Strictly is back, and this time the first big step onto the floor belongs to the hosts as much as the celebrities.
The 24th series of Strictly Come Dancing has opened with a refreshed presenting line-up, a new batch of 15 famous faces, and a launch-night twist that put the celebrity pairings right at the centre of the show. After Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman left last year, Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe made their hosting debut, setting the tone for what looks like a lively new chapter.
The new hosts step into big shoes
Changing the hosts of a long-running Saturday night favourite is never a small move. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman became part of the show’s rhythm, from the gentle reassurance after a shaky routine to the quick joke before the judges’ scores.
This year, the job falls to Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe. The three arrived with very different energies, which may be the point.
Widdicombe brought the slight disbelief of someone who knows just how much the show means to viewers. “It’s a little bit overwhelming to be here,” he said, a line that neatly captured the moment. Strictly is sparkly and silly, but it is also one of television’s most familiar comfort watches.
Willis, meanwhile, leaned into the shared experience of the series ahead. She said they “cannot wait to spend the next 13 weeks with all of you”, framing the show as a weekly appointment rather than a one-off launch.
Radebe’s presence also matters. As a former professional dancer on the programme, he knows the ballroom from the inside. That gives the hosting team someone who can speak the language of the training room, the nerves, the lifts, and the painful business of learning a routine in a few days.
The celebrity cast brings a mix of stage, sport and music
This year’s line-up features 15 celebrities, with actress Melanie Waters, former England footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and Australian singer Delta Goodrem among the names confirmed.
That mix is part of Strictly’s appeal. The show works best when the cast gives the audience several routes in. Some viewers follow the actors. Some back the sports stars. Others want to see whether a singer’s musical timing translates into ballroom technique.
For a former footballer such as Wright-Phillips, the questions will come quickly. Can footwork from the pitch help with quickstep precision? Will competitive instinct carry him through the long training weeks? Sport stars often arrive with stamina and discipline, but they still have to learn the posture, timing and performance style that ballroom demands.
Goodrem brings a different kind of expectation. Singers may understand phrasing and rhythm, yet dancing live in front of judges asks for more than musicality. It asks for character, balance, trust and the ability to sell a story while remembering every step.
Waters, as an actress, may have an advantage when it comes to performance. The best Strictly routines need more than correct technique. They need expression. A tango, a foxtrot or a Charleston can fall flat if the celebrity cannot commit to the mood.
The pairing twist gives launch night extra tension
The biggest change in the launch show is the way the partnerships were revealed. This year, the celebrities were paired with their professionals on the dance floor, adding a bit of theatre to a moment that usually drives endless speculation.
One celebrity described the process as a bit like “speed dating”, and it is easy to see why. A Strictly partnership has to click quickly. The professional dancer becomes teacher, choreographer, coach and cheerleader. The celebrity has to trust them almost at once.
The right pairing can shape an entire series. Height, personality, humour, nerves, musical taste and work ethic all matter. Some couples spark immediately. Others grow slowly over the weeks as confidence builds.
That is why launch-night pairings are never just admin. They are the first clues to the stories ahead.
A few things become clear straight away:
Which celebrities look relaxed in the ballroom
Which professionals seem ready to push hard from week one
Which pairs have natural comic timing
Which partnerships might surprise the judges later in the series
The next 13 weeks start now
Strictly’s format is familiar, but each series depends on its own chemistry. This year has the added interest of a hosting reset, which gives even the most loyal viewers something fresh to watch.
The show now has three different threads to balance. The first is the competition itself, as the 15 celebrities try to survive the early weeks and avoid the first public vote shocks. The second is the new presenting team, who will need to settle into the pace of live television. The third is the relationship between the celebrities and their professional partners, which often becomes the emotional centre of the series.
A strong first dance can change how the public sees a contestant. A rough start can do the same, especially if the celebrity shows humour and grit. Strictly has never been only about who dances best in week one. Viewers often respond to improvement, warmth and the sense that someone is genuinely trying.
That gives the new cast room to grow. Some will arrive polished. Some will look terrified. Some may become favourites before they have perfected a single step.
A refreshed Strictly still has its old pull
The launch of the 24th series suggests a show trying to change without losing what people come back for. The hosts are new. The pairing reveal has a sharper edge. The celebrity cast brings the usual blend of glamour, nerves and curiosity.
Yet the heart of the programme remains the same. A celebrity walks onto the floor with limited time, a professional partner, and a routine that could either lift them up or expose every wobble. The audience watches for the sparkle, but stays for the progress.
With Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe now at the helm, Strictly begins its next run with plenty to prove and plenty to enjoy. The pairings are set, the training starts, and the next 13 weeks will show which couples have quick chemistry, staying power, and the courage to keep dancing when the glitter settles.
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