New Strictly Come Dancing hosts Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe delivered a markedly smoother presenting performance on Saturday night, just a week after facing intense backlash over their live debut.
The trio managed to dust themselves off and come back with a punch, according to a Mirror columnist who has covered the show for a decade. While a few kinks remain, the presenting format ran much smoother than the previous week.
Audience on their side
The audience reaction proved telling. Although some pre-scripted jokes fell flat, the crowd appeared to be on Josh, Emma and Johannes' side and were actively willing them to succeed.
Josh and Johannes are new to live TV presenting, and the strides they've made in just one week are incredibly impressive. The decision by bosses to switch to three presenters, two of whom lack live TV experience, was a big risk.
Nerves and experience
Inexperience is likely letting Josh and Johannes' nerves get the better of them at times. Ahead of his first live show, Josh joked: "Will it ever stop being terrifying? I hope not, because hosting something like this should be the best kind of terrifying."
Emma, a seasoned presenter, has spoken about channelling nerves. Ahead of the first live show, she said: "I'm feeling nervous for sure, but I was told recently that nerves and excitement are the same feeling - it just depends on how you mentally approach the emotion, to determine whether it's fear or joy."
Former presenter Claudia Winkleman struggled immensely with nerves during her tenure, and Tess Daly was her rock. Claudia previously told the Mirror: "If you ever see Tess doing the show wearing something with a big sleeve, it is because I have hurt her arm where I have squeezed it because I am so nervous."
Room to grow
Claudia added: "In live TV, we are tiny cogs and if you go off-piste and talk too long then you mess it up for everybody."
Whether Emma, Josh and Johannes will be successful Strictly hosts remains to be seen, but they deserve a chance to succeed.
