Emma Willis has had a fruitful career, interviewing stars on MTV, and hosting Big Brother and The Voice – but it seems the first live show of Strictly Come Dancing was her personal peak.
On Sunday (27 September), while reflecting on the previous night’s episode, the presenter wrote on Instagram: “Week one, done. I’ve never had so much fun! What a way to kick things off.”
Saturday marked the first live show of the series, one week after a pre-recorded launch episode revealed this year’s pairings, and showcased the debut of new hosting trio Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe.
Social media star John Nellis and professional partner Katya Jones topped the leaderboard with 31 points for their foxtrot, receiving high praise from judges Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, and Craig Revel Horwood.
The contestants most in danger of elimination next weekend include Gavin & Stacey actor Melanie Walters, former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, who received 15 points each.
One person who’s yet to comment on the first live episode is Widdicombe, whose inclusion on the show has become the source of debate. Widdicombe co-presented alongside Willis on the main stage, and according to The Independent’s Isobel Lewis, his delivery “felt awkward and stilted”.
Lewis wrote: “As soon as he and Willis strayed from the script – usually while they were comforting the contestants post-dance – things started to go haywire for the comic. Ultimately, I put it down to strong comedic impulses preventing him from being a good presenter.”
Last week, Widdicombe said he was “terrified” about the first live show, but praised Willis and Radebe.
“We feel like a team where there’s no ego. That there’s no one wanting to put themselves out front more than the others. That we feel like we’ve all got our different personalities and they gel together.
He continued: "Emma and Johannes are just so generous, sweet and funny – they make working on Strictly feel even more exciting and joyous to me."
Following the pre-recorded launch show, former host Claudia Winkleman praised Willis, branding her a “knockout”.
Tess Daly and Winkleman quit the series in October 2025. While they did not disclose their reason for stepping down at the time, Winkleman revealed months later that it had nothing to do with the scandals that rocked the show in recent years, but instead stemmed from their mutual feeling that the show needed some new faces.
