Strictly Come Dancing viewers have responded with a three-word verdict as the BBC show's ratings continue to decline this year. The latest figures, shared by the X account Super TV, prompted many fans to declare they are 'sticking with it' despite the drop.
New Presenting Line-Up Faces Criticism
The programme has faced controversy this year over its presenting reshuffle. After Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman exited last year, the BBC introduced Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe, and professional dancer Johannes Radebe as the new hosts.
The new configuration has drawn fierce public examination and split the audience. Critics have questioned Widdicombe's role on the main floor beside Willis, arguing his stand-up comedy approach and scripted jokes disrupt the programme's rhythm. Some supporters on social media have suggested Willis could present the main floor independently and have pressed producers to move Widdicombe upstairs.
Ratings Fall Sharply
Audience numbers for the October 10 broadcast tumbled to 5.0 million viewers (44% share), down from 5.1 million during Movie Week the previous week and 6.31 million for the equivalent show last year. The Sunday results programme on October 11 plunged to approximately 4.5 million viewers, a substantial fall from the 6.5 million recorded during the same week in 2025.
Industry observers and supporters have linked the deterioration to conflicting responses to the new presenting arrangement and irritation over Sunday result spoilers emerging online before transmission.
Fans Share Mixed Reactions
Despite the figures, many viewers shared the same three-word response, declaring they were 'sticking with it'. One enthusiast posted: "I'm sticking with Strictly, I'm not listening to all the doom mongers on here who want it to fail." Another concurred: "I look forward to watching Strictly Come Dancing evening Saturday night no matter what the viewing figures are."
A third contributed: "I am sticking with Strictly but Josh Widdicombe &andall the dancers feeling a bit 'samey' is putting me off a bit." A fourth commented: "The hosts are actually good this year. Emma is the best host they have ever had."
However, some acknowledged they had stopped watching. One person stated: "Bye bye Strictly." Another remarked: "We used to be super fans, but largely due to the dumbing down of the show, we just watch the results show with remote in hand to skip any unwelcome 'noise!' It's really that poor now!" A third added: "The programme is just too long. We had an unexpected drama which meant we missed it, if you don't catch up then there are spoilers to avoid so we just didn't bother."
BBC spokespeople emphasise that standard overnight ratings do not account for catch-up viewing via BBC iPlayer and on-demand streaming, where a growing proportion of the audience tunes in. Strictly Come Dancing Week 4 results show airs at 7:10pm on Sunday, 18 October 2026, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
