Strictly Come Dancing's 2026 celebrities have been dealt a blow just hours before the first live show. Following the launch show on September 19, the couples are taking to the stage for the first time to perform live, but the announcement of the week one songs and dances has sparked disappointment among fans.
One Reddit user pointed out that nine of the 15 couples were performing Latin dances, such as a cha cha or tango, meaning the following week would be ballroom-heavy, and no waltz was planned for any couple. One fan agreed, writing on Reddit: "oming from America who started watching strictly last year I was excited to finally start watching some Waltz because dwts never does the slow Waltz and I was disappointed with how very few there were I was expecting more."
Fans question the dance choices
One fan suggested show bosses were going for the "crowdpleasing big bombs" to win over the audience, as another replied: "Yeah that’s what it looks like. I’m sure it’ll go down well, but then in a few weeks, when all the high-energy dances die down, I don’t think the general public will be impressed."
Another fan raged on X: "Same songs over and over again, does the bbc not know any other songs?" A viewer also noted that four stars—Lacey Turner, Melanie Walters, Graeme Hall, and Shaun Wright-Phillips—were dancing the cha cha, writing: "So. Many. Cha Cha Chas. I really hate it."
Mixed reactions and new hosts
However, plenty of fans were more positive, sharing their excitement for the first live show and wishing the celebrities luck with their dances. It will also be the first live show for new hosts Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe, who took over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The pressure is on for the trio, as their first prerecorded episodes got mixed reviews from viewers.
Full list of week one dances
Here is the full list of dances: Tabby & Mark—Jive to Animal by KATSEYE; Lacey & Vito—Cha Cha to How Will I Know by Whitney Houston; Lawrence & Jowita—Paso Doble to Aperture by Harry Styles; Bethany & Nancy—Quickstep to Stop This Flame by Celeste; Dani & Nikita—Samba to Lush Life by Zara Larsson; Delta & Kai—Samba to Baianá by Barbatuques; Jaime & Carlos—Tango to I Feel Love by Donna Summer; Melanie & Aljaž—Cha Cha to Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee; Dame Sarah & Julian—Quickstep to C'est Magnifique by Kay Starr; Cach & Maddie—Quickstep to I Just Might by Bruno Mars; Chris & Amy—Tango to No Roots by Alice Merton; Graeme & Lauren—Cha Cha to Hound Dog (Smokey Joe's Café version); John & Katya—Foxtrot to Ordinary by Alex Warren; Shaun & Alexis—Cha Cha to Lil Boo Thang by Paul Russell; Will & Dianne—Samba to Rock DJ by Robbie.
Strictly Come Dancing airs tonight on BBC.
