The long-running BBC reality favourite is rewriting its traditional rollout playbook for the autumn schedule. Rather than dispatching contestants to remote locations across the country over the summer months to meet their professional partners on camera, producers are reverting to a pre-Covid format that brings the pairings together live in front of a studio audience.
The format shift first surfaced when contestant and dog trainer Graeme Hall shared the internal change during an interview on Radio Northampton, telling listeners This year, they’re doing it slightly differently. We don’t find out until the launch show. You have no say in it, the pros have no say in it
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A New Era of Hosts and Professional Lineup Changes
The return to live studio pairings coincides with a hosting transition in the show’s recent history. Following the departures of long-term presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman in the middle of the previous season, the BBC appointed a trio of new front-of-house talent: comedian Josh Widdicombe, presenter Emma Willis, and former professional dancer Johannes Radebe. Radebe steps into the presenting role after hanging up his competitive dancing shoes, while veteran judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke all return to the panel.
The professional dancer roster has undergone substantial turnover as well. The show parted ways with Gorka Marquez, Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas, Luba Mushtuk, and Nadiya Bychkova earlier in the year, making room for several new professional dancers to join the floor. Meanwhile, the companion spin-off show It Takes Two has also seen change, with former pro Janette Manrara and Fleur East stepping down and handing over hosting duties to former contestant Ellie Taylor.
The Celebrity Lineup and Fan Reception
Announced incrementally over the summer months starting in June, the celebrity roster features a diverse mix of television personalities, athletes, and performers. The complete group stepping onto the dancefloor includes Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Jaime Winstone, Will Best, Sean Wright-Phillips, Bethany Antonia, Graeme Hall, Lawrence Robb, John Nellis, Tabby Stoecker, Dame Sarah Storey, and Melanie Walters.
The announcement of the celebrity roster drew mixed reactions across social media platforms. Some viewers expressed frustration with the caliber of the participating talent, particularly targeting celebrity hairdresser Chris Appleton and dog trainer Graeme Hall. Critics took to online channels to voice their disappointment, with one observer remarking that the broadcaster was scraping the bottom of the barrel
and another dismissing the roster as the most boring lineup ever
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World Records and Milestone Legacies
As the competition enters its 24th season, the programme carries a rich history of television milestones and verified world records. Late legendary entertainer Sir Bruce Forsyth, who co-hosted the competition for its first 11 seasons alongside Tess Daly, claimed the record for longest TV career by an entertainer (male) spanning 76 years, having appeared on television from 1939 until his retirement in 2015 before passing away in 2017 at the age of 89.
Tess Daly secured her own place in record history during 2025 by achieving the milestone for the longest-serving host of the same dance competition television show, having logged 21 years and 224 days on the series.
