Strictly Come Dancing professional Lauren Oakley has spoken out in defence of the show's new hosts, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, after they fronted the live show for the first time.
On Saturday (September 26), the BBC One dance contest's new line-up of 15 celebrities and their professional dance partners performed their first full routines in front of the judges, having been paired during the previous weekend's pre-recorded launch show.
First live show
Week one of Strictly 2026 opened with a routine by the Strictly professionals to an orchestral version of Joy by Raye. The presenting trio joined the dance at the end before introducing the couples to the ballroom floor.
The evening saw EastEnders actress Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola dance a cha cha to How Will I Know by Whitney Houston, scoring 27 points, while actress Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu's quickstep to Stop This Flame by Celeste scored 26.
Leaderboard topper
Social media star John Nellis topped the Strictly leaderboard. The Northern Irish football content creator and his partner, Katya Jones, wowed the judges with a foxtrot to Alex Warren's Ordinary, earning 31 points out of a possible 40 from Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.
Despite the couples' first routines, social media was flooded with comments about the new hosts, with some suggesting it 'doesn't work' with three people, only two of whom had hosted the programme before.
Pro's support
Lauren Oakley, who performed her first dance alongside TV dog trainer Graeme Hall, spoke highly of the trio on her Instagram Story on Sunday (September 27). Alongside a picture of Emma, Josh and Johannes, she wrote: "We couldn't be in safer hands than with these beautiful people. Strictly is about family, uplifting others, and creating a safe space for celebrity contestants to be vulnerable and do something so outside of their comfort zone."
She continued: "This trio have been so warm and welcoming and they felt like family from the minute they stepped into the studio, and we LOVE having them with us. Professional, funny, kind & fantastic at what they do. I couldn't feel more lucky to be sharing the screen and our Saturday nights with them!"
