Strictly Come Dancing Fans Confused as Show Introductions Change

Fans of Strictly Come Dancing experienced confusion during the second live show of the season on October 4, 2023. The popular BBC dance competition returned with presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman welcoming the contestants to the stage without the usual formal introduction. This unexpected change sparked a flurry of comments on social media, with many viewers expressing surprise at the new format.

Typically, viewers are accustomed to seeing Daly and Winkleman introduced from backstage, accompanied by music from Dave Arch and his orchestra. However, this time, the presenters were already on stage, with Winkleman announcing, “Tonight our fifteen stars perform again and you get to have your say as we open the vote for the very first time.” This departure from tradition led to numerous reactions on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), where one user questioned, “What, no introduction for Tess and Claudia by Alan Dedicoat??!!” Others voiced their dissatisfaction, with comments highlighting the absence of a formal introduction for the hosts.

Fans are particularly engaged this season, given the imminent departure of one contestant following the first round of performances. The judges—Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood—will combine scores from this week’s performances with those from last week to establish rankings before the results show on October 5. The much-discussed dance-off will return, introducing a new twist: Ballas will rotate as head judge each week rather than holding the position consistently. This means that in the event of a tie during the dance-off, the decision will rest with whichever judge is serving as head judge that week.

In the previous live show, former footballer Karen Carney and her professional partner Carlos Gu topped the leaderboard with an impressive score of 31 points for their Jive to Blondie’s “One Way or Another.” In contrast, Ross King, a presenter from Lorraine, found himself at the bottom of the leaderboard with a mere 10 points for his Hollywood-themed Cha Cha Cha to “California Gurls” by Katy Perry.

As Strictly Come Dancing continues its run, fans are eager to see how the new changes in format and judging will influence the competition. The show is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer, allowing audiences to catch up on performances and results as the season unfolds.