Strictly Come Dancing has suffered its most devastating blow yet, with viewing figures for the current series falling sharply just four weeks into its return. The new era of the show, which saw Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman step down last year, has divided viewers and sparked intense public scrutiny.
According to BARB figures, ratings on October 10 dropped to 5.0 million viewers, a 44% share, down from 5.1 million during Movie Week the previous week and 6.31 million for the corresponding show last year. Sunday's results show on October 11 fared even worse, falling to around 4.5 million viewers, a significant decline from the 6.5 million who tuned in during the same week in 2025.
New Hosting Team Faces Backlash
The departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman ended their long-running partnership on the programme, with new hosts Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe, alongside professional dancer Johannes Radebe, taking over. The new setup has faced intense public scrutiny, with audiences debating whether Widdicombe fits in alongside the veteran host.
The show has also lost popular professional dancers including Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez and Nadiya Bychkova, disappointing Strictly's die-hard fans.
Strictly Beaten by Rivals in Ratings
Despite being one of the BBC's most watched programmes, Strictly has seen a significant drop in viewership compared to other popular shows. The first episode of The Celebrity Traitors topped the list with 15 million viewers, followed by episode two with 14 million. The Great British Bake Off attracted over 7 million viewers, while ITV drama The Blame received 6.3 million.
Strictly languished in fifth place with just 6.2 million viewers for week three, dropping further to 5.1 million for Icons Week on Saturday.
Industry Insiders Point to Factors Behind Decline
Industry insiders and fans have attributed the ongoing decline to several factors, including mixed reactions to the new presenting line-up and frustration over Sunday results being leaked online before broadcast.
BBC representatives stress that conventional overnight figures fail to include catch-up viewing through BBC iPlayer and on-demand platforms, where an increasing number of viewers now watch the show. Whether the show can claw back its loyal fanbase remains to be seen.
