Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole has criticised new host Josh Widdicombe's performance, saying the comedian is struggling to be funny on the show. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Cole claimed the presenting team is trying too hard to make it funny and it's not working.
Cole's Verdict on the New Host
Cole, who was part of the Strictly team between 2004 and 2017, said: "Josh, who's a very good comedian, is struggling to be funny on Strictly. I think they're trying too hard to make it funny and it's not working. It's not gelling."
He contrasted Widdicombe with fellow new host Johannes Radebe, praising Radebe's appearance while criticising Widdicombe's outfit on the results show. "As much as I'm not loving the way he [Johannes] presents, he looked beautiful. He looked elegant. He looked the part. Josh was wearing a T-shirt and a jacket in the results show that didn't fit properly either," Cole said.
Concerns Over the Show's Direction
Cole questioned the lack of elegance in the new presentation style, comparing it unfavourably to the judges' attire. "Look at the judges. They're all sitting there suited and booted, wearing either a tie or even a bow tie. They look smart and elegant. Josh hasn't chosen to embrace the same elegance. Why? It's a ballroom dancing show," he added.
He went on to ask: "Why are we not looking at making the show look as elegant and as beautiful as possible? Can you imagine Sir Bruce wearing that? The show has to remain elegant and classy."
Cole said it feels like a "different show now" and that the changes haven't bedded in as they should. "It's waiting to settle and find its natural position," he said. "Everybody's trying to find their natural position with everybody else. There's a lag compared to how Claudia and Tess had everything absolutely knuckled down. Now it feels like they're trying to create a different show, a new show perhaps, and it just hasn't found its feet yet. It hasn't worked so far."
Praise for Tabby Stoecker
Despite his criticisms, Cole reserved special praise for contestant Tabby Stoecker, saying the British skeleton racer and Olympic champion has "really stepped up" and become a frontrunner for the glitterball. He predicted: "Once people know who she is and she's been in people's living rooms for four or five weeks, I think people will really warm to her and she'll grow in confidence."
He also shared his thoughts on other contestants, saying: "I thought John was a frontrunner, but I might have to reset that expectation. Delta is great, but the problem she's going to have is that she's too good. She's performed almost flawless performances so far, and if she continues that week after week, people will just think, 'It's Delta again. She's very good.' There's no jeopardy when you're watching her. There's nothing in me that thinks she's ever going to do anything in any way other than brilliantly."
Brendan Cole was speaking to the Mirror on behalf of Sky Vegas.
