Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Vincent Simone has described the show's declining viewership as "upsetting" and has urged fans to give the new presenting team time to settle in. The BBC dance contest attracted around 4.8 million viewers for its opening Saturday live show this series, down 1.4 million from the 6.2 million who watched the equivalent episode in 2025.
Vincent Simone defends new presenters
Simone, who appeared on the show between 2006 and 2012, said it is a "shame" that the programme seems to be losing viewers each week. While the new presenters have faced criticism, he believes the solution is simple: give them time to adapt. Speaking to the Mirror, he said: "I find Josh Widdicombe funny. I think what I like about him is he's very relaxed, which is a trait that he has."
He added: "To be honest, on a big, massive show like Strictly, presenting live isn't the easiest, but he looks very relaxed, and I find him funny. I think I'm getting to know him more, so he's getting easier on the eye. I'm actually quite chuffed. It seems like he's becoming part of the furniture, almost. Sometimes, on whatever shows, the presenter is a bit stiff or a bit edgy, but with him I feel like he's very relaxed. I actually like his energy."
Why viewing figures may be falling
Simone suggested that modern viewing habits may explain the dip, noting that audiences have less time to watch live. "It's upsetting in a way [the plummeting viewing figures]. The only thing I can say is maybe this new generation, or people, don't have much time these days to sit down and watch the show for that length of time. It seems quite a long show," he said. He added that he himself watched on catch-up after performing on Saturday, and that many viewers may do the same via BBC iPlayer.
He also questioned the judges' scoring of celebrity contestant John Nellis and his partner Katya Jones. "I was really not agreeing with the judges' marks when it came to John [Nellis] and Katya [Jones]. I think their dance was really, really good, and I don't know why they've been undermarked so much," he said.
