Strictly Come Dancing 2026 airs its first live show this evening, Saturday, September 26, on BBC One. The 15 couples will take to the dancefloor together for the first time, performing to scores from the judges with no public vote or elimination this week.
Show time and running length
The live show kicks off at 6.15pm and will run until 8.45pm, lasting 150 minutes (two hours and 30 minutes). Before Strictly, Amanda Holden's The Celebrity Inner Circle broadcasts from 5.30pm for 45 minutes until 6.15pm. After the dancing, comedian John Bishop's new gameshow Wisdom of the Crowd airs from 8.45pm until 9.35pm.
New hosts Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe welcome the couples back to the ballroom. The celebrities learned their professional partner pairings during the pre-recorded launch show that aired last weekend.
Judges and scoring
Head judge Shirley Ballas, alongside judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, will award the first set of scores. Those results will be carried over to week two, when viewers get their first opportunity to vote for their favourites.
There is no results show this weekend, but new host Ellie Taylor presents her first episode of the spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday, September 28, in the evening.
New spin-off and iPlayer features
A second spin-off, Strictly: Lights Up, airs on Sundays on BBC iPlayer immediately after the results show. Hosted by comedian Abi Clarke and presenter and Strictly alum Tyler West, it takes fans straight onto the dancefloor for reactions from the eliminated couple, their dance-off opponents, the judges, hosts, other Strictly stars and studio guests.
BBC iPlayer will also launch a dedicated Strictly hub with new exclusives, weekly training room episodes where Abi visits couples in rehearsals, and a weekly highlights show. Every dance of the series will be available to watch individually, and for the first time each episode offers chapter scrolling to jump between favourite couples.
Former England Lioness Karen Carney won Strictly Come Dancing 2025 with her professional partner Carlos Gu. Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday, September 26 at 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
