Television legend Michael Barrymore has claimed he could "get viewers back" to Strictly Come Dancing, describing the show as "controlled and contrived". The 74-year-old, dubbed "Mr. Saturday Night" at the height of his career, dominated weekend prime-time slots with shows such as Strike It Lucky, Barrymore and Michael Barrymore’s Saturday Night Out, which drew up to 20 million viewers.
Barrymore's Criticism of the Show's Format
Speaking to Radio Times, Barrymore said Strictly is "too controlled and contrived. It’s not what people want anymore." He added: "Because of years of people watching telly and learning about it, and social media, audiences require more. It’s too safe."
He insisted: "When I was hosting Saturday-night TV, there was a bit of an edge. Producers have to be willing to take more risks."
Ratings Decline and Call for Change
Barrymore claimed the show needs someone of his ilk at the helm to bring back viewers. "Well, I’d certainly get the viewers back," he said, referring to a downturn in overnight ratings compared to last year.
The first live show of the 2026 series drew an average overnight audience of 4.8 million viewers, a drop of 1.4 million from the 2025 opening live show, which pulled in 6.2 million. It also marked the first time since 2019 that the first live show ratings fell below those of the pre-recorded launch episode.
Barrymore's Career and Comeback
Barrymore said: "Like Bruce Forsyth, Larry Grayson and others, I’m a performer, not a presenter. We came from backgrounds in stand-up, where you’re working audiences all the time, so you learn what they want by trial and error. Not everything works, but I’ve never been frightened to fail."
His television career halted after a party at his Essex home in March 2001, when 31-year-old Stuart Lubbock was found dead in his swimming pool. He was arrested in 2007 on suspicion of murder and sexual assault, but never charged. In 2019, he dropped a compensation claim against Essex Police after the Court of Appeal ruled he was entitled to only nominal damages.
In recent years, Barrymore has made a comeback. In January 2006, he was runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother, garnering 43.6% of the final public vote, beaten by non-celebrity housemate Chantelle Houghton. He has also gained millions of followers on TikTok, though he faced public backlash earlier this year for filming people with smart glasses.
