Strictly Come Dancing viewers have shared a three-word verdict on the BBC show's falling ratings this year, with many declaring they are 'sticking with it' despite the decline.
The drop in ratings comes after the introduction of new hosts Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, who replaced Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after they stepped down last year.
New Hosts Spark Debate
The new presenting team has divided viewers, with criticism aimed at Widdicombe's role on the main floor alongside Willis. Some fans have suggested Willis could front the show solo, urging producers to move Widdicombe upstairs.
Ratings for Saturday's episode on October 10 dropped to 5.0 million viewers (44% share), down from 5.1 million during Movie Week the previous week and 6.31 million for the corresponding show last year.
Sunday Results See Sharp Decline
Figures for Sunday's results show on October 11 fell to around 4.5 million viewers, a considerable decline from the 6.5 million who tuned in during the same week in 2025.
The decline has been attributed to mixed reactions to the new presenting line-up and frustration over Sunday results being leaked online before broadcast.
Fans Respond to Ratings Data
After the X account Super TV shared the ratings figures, many viewers posted the same three-word response: 'sticking with it'.
One fan wrote: "I'm sticking with Strictly, I'm not listening to all the doom mongers on here who want it to fail."
Another said: "I look forward to watching Strictly Come Dancing evening Saturday night no matter what the viewing figures are."
A third commented: "I am sticking with Strictly but Josh Widdicombe &all the dancers feeling a bit 'samey' is putting me off a bit."
A fourth remarked: "The hosts are actually good this year. Emma is the best host they have ever had."
Some Viewers Tune Out
Despite the support, some viewers admitted they had stopped watching, with one person stating: "Bye bye Strictly." Another said: "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 representatives stress that overnight figures do not include catch-up viewing through BBC iPlayer and on-demand platforms, where an increasing number of viewers watch the show. Strictly Come Dancing Week 4 results show airs at 7:10pm this Sunday, 18 October 2026, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
