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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Rachel McGrath and Lauren Morris

Strictly Come Dancing 2026: A promising debut but one star was doing the heavy lifting

After months of casting reveals, format speculation and rumours of big changes, Strictly Come Dancing made its big return last night, ushering in a brand new era.

The 2026 series kicked off with a launch show on BBC One on Saturday (19 September) night and with its longtime hosts gone, the big question was whether Strictly has kept its sparkle.

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