Emma Willis has been left to carry Strictly Come Dancing on her shoulders for four weeks while corralling two presenters who have been likened to teenagers on a work experience placement. Criticism has mounted over Johannes Radebe's wooden delivery in the Clauditorium and Josh Widdicombe's agonising jokes and awkward glances to the camera.
Presenting struggles on the dance floor
Johannes Radebe is an incredible dancer who has proven he can own the Strictly stage, but when it comes to presenting, he does not have the chops. During post-dance interviews, he appeared to cast around as though looking for a producer to help him out, clutching cards and seeming to wait for a boss or dance partner to tell him what to do next.
While interviewing Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita, Johannes stopped after quizzing them: "You said you've got the utmost respect for anybody who's done the Samba so far in the competition. What did you mean about that?"
Josh, meanwhile, is bungling his way through without cue cards, gazing into the camera as though being held hostage or as though Emma is standing on his pinky toe. Last night, he drowned in what looked like his dad's beige suit, with trouser legs that looked like they needed rolling up.
BBC bosses insist on new format
There is no point complaining to BBC bosses, who have reportedly insisted viewers will have to get used to the new format. A source previously told The Mirror: "The producers and the presenters had fun playing around in the run-up, but now these roles are sticking."
"Emma and Josh are a double-act on the ballroom floor on Saturday nights, while Johannes does his own thing with the relieved dancers and their partners upstairs." They insisted the public simply "needs a bit of time to get used to them", and the hosts "need a bit of space to bed in".
Week four performances and viewer reaction
Week four saw Cach and Maddie, along with Jaime and Carlos, top the leaderboard with 34 points, while dances from Lawrence and Jowita, John and Katya and Will and Dianne also impressed fans. One viewer put it best on X, tweeting: "I've never seen a man so out of his depth. Josh Widdicombe looks like when you dress up your cat with a funny hat and try to make him sit still for a photo - the pain in his eyes is overwhelming."
Josh's jokes are chuckle-worthy, and having a comedian as a presenter was a savvy move from BBC bosses. But his comedy would be better served upstairs, giving Johannes a shoulder to lean on with Emma down on the dance floor and leaving the small talk to Josh. Strictly is one of the few shows plenty of the public look forward to every week, and it is even a lifeline for lonely people who find connection to the dancers and hosts. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman could not commit their entire lives to their contracts, but more consideration could have been put into chemistry testing before deciding on the trio of newbies.
