New Strictly Come Dancing presenter Emma Willis has shared behind the scenes photographs following the launch of the new series on Saturday night.
The 43-year-old television host took to Instagram on Sunday to give fans an insight into the preparations for the launch show of the BBC's flagship celebrity ballroom dancing competition.
In one of the images, Willis beamed as she completed a script run-through alongside her new co-hosts Johannes Radebe, 39, and Josh Widdicombe, 43, with the studio autocue visible in the background.
Another picture captured Radebe posing next to an official promotional photograph wearing a red dressing gown. Additional photos showed the show's professional dancers getting ready to walk out onto the dancefloor and a dress rehearsal of the group dance.
Willis appeared a little daunted by the prospect of taking on the presenting role in one snapshot, while other photos captured the new presenting team grinning during dress rehearsals. A whiteboard in the studio displayed a message reading "Welcome Emma, Josh and Jojo," and Willis also posed proudly outside her personal dressing room.
Willis captioned her social media post: "Here's the #Strictly story so far." Former presenter Claudia Winkleman showed her support by posting a string of love heart emojis in the comment section below the images.
Showbiz support for new lineup
A number of Willis's showbiz friends also took to the comment section to praise the new presenting team after watching the pre-recorded launch episode. Television personality Scarlett Moffatt praised the hosts, writing: "You were all amazing! I felt like I had been invited to a party from my living room! Smashed it."
Author and podcast host Giovanna Fletcher shared her pride, writing: "So proud of you. We're all in for a treat seeing your joy and warmth on our telly every weekend." Former Coronation Street actress Catherine Tyldesley, who previously competed as a contestant on Strictly, added: "You guys smashed it! Loving this combo!" Professional dancer Dianne Buswell also commented: "You were all brilliant."
Launch show ratings
The pre-recorded launch episode peaked at 5.8 million viewers on Saturday evening, according to overnight figures. That figure marked a slight increase compared to last year's launch episode peak of 5.6 million viewers.
However, the launch broadcast averaged 5.3 million viewers, down slightly from the 5.4 million average recorded in 2025. Viewers watching at home praised Willis on social media, describing her as "the goddess of British TV" as she launched the series wearing a plunging glitzy dress.
Viewer reaction and presenter transition
Willis, Radebe and Widdicombe officially took over presenting duties after long-standing hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly stepped down from the show last year. Daly had presented the program since its premiere in 2004, while Winkleman co-hosted the main live shows alongside Daly from 2014 until their joint departure.
While many viewers praised Willis's performance, bemused fans took to social media to question the decision to introduce a three-person presenting team. Audience members shared their verdicts on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the broadcast.
One user wrote: "i love emma, jojo and josh but it feels so odd without tess and claude, this is gonna take some getting used to," while another asked: "I can’t understand why we need 3 presenters???" A third viewer stated: "3 hosts are different but I love emma willis so happy she’s part of this."
Other viewers questioned whether the hosting dynamic worked for the format. One social media post read: "Emma and Johannes have got this but Josh just does not fit #Strictly," while another commented: "Why does it need 3 presenters? It just doesn't work." A separate viewer added: "Is it way too early to say I’m not sold on these hosts and I want Tess and Claud back? #strictly."
Willis is best known for hosting major British television formats including Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother, and The Voice UK. Widdicombe is a comedian and television presenter known for co-hosting Channel 4's comedy current affairs show The Last Leg, while South African dancer Radebe originally joined Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer in 2018 before joining the presenting team.
