Strictly judge Shirley Ballas reacts to "absolute chaos and carnage" of "fresh" 2026 launch show

Strictly Come Dancing's head judge Shirley Ballas has praised the "carnage" of this year's revamped launch show, which introduced a whole new method of celebrities finding out their professional partners. For the first time ever, the couplings were revealed mid-performance, in what was essentially a cross between choreographed speed dating and musical chairs.

The show also marked the debut of three new hosts in Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdecombe, and introduced a raft of new pro performers.

Asked for her highlight, Ballas said: "The absolute chaos and carnage that were the pairing dances! I’ve never seen anything like it. Totally new, totally fresh and totally bonkers."

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She added: "We genuinely didn’t know who was going to end up with who and it made the launch one like never before."

On whether she was surprised by any partnerships, she mused: "The majority of the pairings actually! I really did struggle to work out who’d be with who this year. We’ve got a dance floor full of personalities and Motsi and I were absolutely dying with laughter at the desk watching the chaos of the pairings unfold."

Meanwhile, Anton Du Beke was just happy to have Willis, Radebe and Widdecombe finally make their arrival after months of build-up. "The best bit was obviously welcoming our new hosts which was lovely, and it was enormous fun," he said.

"The whole thing had a feel of newness about it. We've got some wonderful new hosts, some lovely new professionals, and some fabulous new celebrities. It all felt new and a restart – so here’s to the next 24 years."

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Saturday marks the first live show of the run, with all 15 couples taking to the iconic dancefloor for their first competitive routines.

Asked what makes a memorable first dance, Motsi Mabuse said: "It’s when somebody shows us something we weren’t expecting. Personality, musicality, connection, confidence, vulnerability, whatever it is that makes us suddenly sit up and think, 'Oh! There is something here.'

"There have been so many brilliant first dances over the years that I honestly couldn’t choose just one. What I remember most is that feeling when you realise somebody could have a really special journey ahead of them."

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 26 September at 6:15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.