So… it’s finally arrived: judgement day for Strictly Come Dancing 2.0. The departure of beloved hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman was always going to be a monumental shift at the BBC series. It’s not just the new presenters – Johannes Radebe, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe – that signal a new era for the show. Between fan favourite pros getting the boot, a new online companion show and even changes to the pairing process, this is the biggest shake-up Strictly has experienced since Ed Balls’ “Gangnam Style” salsa.
While viewers were technically given a glimpse of these changes during last Saturday’s pre-recorded launch show, everyone knew that the first live show would be the real test. Would the show maintain its sparkle given the lack of major stars among the cast? Would the audience take to the new dancers? And when it came to the new presenters, would three prove to be a crowd?
