Strictly Come Dancing's first live show airs on Saturday (September 26) with presenter Josh Widdicombe guiding viewers through the action alongside Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe. The fresh presenting trio has taken over from long-standing hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly as the competition's 15 couples make their debut performances.
There is no public voting or elimination this week, but Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will hand out the opening round of marks. This new series marks Josh's second venture into the ballroom, having previously taken part in the show's Christmas special in 2024.
Royal connections uncovered
In 2021, Josh discovered a royal connection during his stint on the BBC One programme Who Do You Think You Are? He learned he is distantly connected to Henry VIII via his 13x great-grandmother, Lady Catherine Knollys, thought to be the illegitimate child of Henry VIII and his lover, Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's sister.
Speaking on the show at the time, Josh remarked, "To say it's exceeded my expectations is the understatement of a lifetime. I was just expecting a couple of farmers. It's proper blue blood, isn't it?"
The royal links continued, as the presenter also uncovered ties to Edward I, who reigned over England from 1272 to 1307, as his 23x great-grandfather. Josh also has French heritage, with his 24x great-grandfather being the French King Phillip III. During the episode, he learned that his 10x-great-grandfather, Henry Rich, served as a trusted counsel to King Charles I.
Family life and career
The comedian, podcaster and writer is best known to television audiences as team captain on Channel 4's The Last Leg, which he has fronted for more than thirty series with Adam Hills and Alex Brooker. He also claimed victory in Taskmaster's debut series. The 43-year-old co-hosts the podcast Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett, a project they started during the coronavirus lockdown.
Josh married his wife, Rose Hanson, in 2019, and they have two children - a daughter named Pearl born in October 2017, and a son named Cassius who arrived in May 2021. Before relocating to Exeter, where Josh spent his childhood, the couple lived in East London. They now reside in a property previously owned by TV presenter Noel Edmonds.
Josh's wife Rose is an interior designer and TV producer, having worked on shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Live at the Apollo. Her mother was the puppeteer and creator Violet Philpott, who brought to life the character Zippy from the 80s children's TV programme Rainbow. Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturday evenings at 6:15 pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with the results show following on Sunday evenings.
