Emma Willis has been flooded with supportive messages from fans following the first live show of the new series of Strictly Come Dancing. The 50-year-old TV star has stepped into the presenting shoes in the Strictly ballroom, alongside Josh Widdecombe and Johannes Radebe.
New presenting team takes over
There has been a wave of comments online, with some viewers struggling to adjust to the three new presenters. Josh, JoJo and Emma have taken over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who left their roles at the end of last year.
Now, 15 celebrities made their ballroom debut last weekend with their professional dancing partners. Emma Willis has since shared an update with her followers after the first official Strictly weekend of the year.
Behind-the-scenes update
Sharing some behind the scenes photos with her followers on Instagram, Emma said: "And then… we were LIVE! #Strictly A little camera roll dump from our first weekend of live shows."
The post featured a selfie with her husband Matt backstage, a photo of contestants Will Best and Shaun Wright-Phillips as well as a picture of a dressing room door. Emma also included a photo of a quote which said: "You'll get judged either way, so may as well pick the fun option."
Fans and co-stars show support
Fans rushed to the comments to send their love and support, including her co-star Johannes and Strictly pro Vito Coppola, who both added red heart emojis.
One follower said: "We're really looking forward to the rest of the series with you, Josh and JoJo in our house." A second wrote: "You guys were brilliant , everyone will warm up . Its all about change x."
A third said: "You are such a breath of fresh air", a fourth said: "Loved it! Great show! You 3 did a fab job" and a fifth added to the comments: "Brilliant as always. As are Josh and Johannes!!!"
Career background
Strictly Come Dancing is one of the most highly sought after jobs in showbiz, with the likes of Rylan Clark, Zoe Ball and Fleur East also auditioning for the roles earlier this year. The competition is now underway, and one pairing will be sent home this weekend after a dance-off.
Emma Willis has been a familiar face on our TV screens for many years. The 50-year-old presenter has an impressive list of credits to her name including Big Brother, This Morning, Love Is Blind and The Voice.
The TV presenter was born in Birmingham and began modelling at the age of 15. She worked for a range of magazines before landing a job in TV, including Elle, Vogue, Chanel, GAP and Marie Claire. In 2002, a young Emma Willis, whose maiden name was Emma Griffiths, burst onto screens on MTV, before becoming a guest host on Loose Women and This Morning.
In 2008, Emma tied the knot with her long-term partner Matt Willis, best known for being a part of boy band Busted. The couple married in a lavish ceremony held at Rushton Hall in Northamptonshire.
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
