TV 2’s marquee autumn broadcast Skal vi danse drew 656,000 viewers for its September 26, 2026 premiere, but the three-and-a-half-hour runtime and heavy commercial breaks have sparked vocal pushback from cultural figures and podcasters over broadcast length and advertising volume, Dagbladet reported.
The Bottom Line
- The Schedule: The program runs from 8:00 PM to 11:15 PM, anchored by a 40-minute news, sport, and weather break in the middle.
- The Pushback: Public figures like influencer Linnéa Myhre and podcasters Hanna Martine Slåttland Baller and Lone Nordeng argue the broadcast is too long and over-reliant on commercial partners.
- The Network Defense: TV 2 press chief Jan-Petter Dahl states that viewership figures rise throughout the evening, with the final half-hour proving to be the most watched.
Viewers Demand Alternatives to Commercial Overload
The core friction point for critics is the sheer volume of commercial interruptions sandwiched between celebrity routines. In their podcast Hanna & de heldige, hosts Hanna Martine Slåttland Baller and Lone Nordeng expressed disbelief at the timing, pointing to brands like Stratos and Volkswagen appearing immediately following performances by contestants such as Espen P.A. Baller directly implored the network to find alternative revenue streams rather than leaning so heavily on ad breaks.
Influencer Linnéa Myhre echoed the frustration on Instagram Story, questioning whether audiences are genuinely willing to carve out three and a half hours on a Saturday night. Myhre argued that starting the program earlier would prevent viewers from dozing off before the night’s competition truly unfolds.
Network Metrics and the 40-Minute News Intermission
A significant driver of the extended runtime is a mandatory 40-minute pause dedicated to news, sport, and weather reports delivered right in the middle of the entertainment lineup, as noted by podcast host Lone Nordeng to Dagbladet. Despite complaints regarding the late 11:15 PM finish time, TV 2 maintains that the schedule mirrors last year’s format without generating widespread viewer discontent.
Addressing the criticism, TV 2 press chief Jan-Petter Dahl told Dagbladet that concrete ratings demonstrate an upward trend in viewership as the evening progresses. Dahl highlighted that the final half-hour captures the highest audience share of the broadcast, while streaming numbers on TV 2 Play account for those tuning in on Sundays.
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Premiere Viewership | 656,000 viewers (September 26, 2026) |
| Broadcast Window | 8:00 PM – 11:15 PM |
| Mid-Show Intermission | 40-minute news, sport, and weather pause |
| First Elimination | Artist Sandra Lyng (39) |
Format Continuity Across the Season
Following the initial episodes featuring 13 pairs—including the recent exit of artist Sandra Lyng—the competition field will shrink as the weeks progress. However, TV 2 confirmed to Dagbladet that the duration of the weekly broadcasts will remain fixed at three and a half hours for the remainder of the season, regardless of the decreasing number of competing couples.
