Josh Widdicombe breaks his silence on Strictly hosting debut following viewers' harsh backlash
Josh hosted alongside Emma Willis and Johannes RadebeJosh Widdicombe has spoken out after his Strictly Come Dancing hosting debut prompted a sharply mixed reaction from viewers.
Speaking on Tuesday’s Parenting Hell podcast, the comedian said he loved the experience and thanked supporters for their kindness. He described co-hosts Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe as a joy, and emphasised how much fun he had.
Josh said: “Thanks to everyone for being so kind. Did I enjoy doing it? I loved it. Emma and JoJo a joy, it’s so joyful. I was just having a good time.”
Josh did not directly tackle the negative comments during the conversation. Instead, he shared how 20 friends joined him at home to watch the pre-recorded programme.
There was one hitch, as his internet connection faltered and left him unable to hear the show: “We had loads of people round at home to watch the recorded show. I couldn’t hear a thing!”
Strictly viewers question three-host line-up
The launch marked the first outing for Josh, Emma and Johannes as replacements for Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Emma drew praise from viewers, but the trio’s overall reception proved less settled. In posts on X, some questioned why Strictly needed three presenters.
One person said: “Good lord… I think two presenters is better than three… you know the saying, three’s a crowd.”
Several viewers also missed Tess and Claudia. Meanwhile, some had a harsh verdict for Josh. One person said: “Josh is definitely not a good fit for this show! He’s so wooden and feels so unnatural.”
Another wrote: “Josh Widdicome just looks out of place. He’s funny and all but he just doesn’t fit the show’s vibe.”
However, someone else commented: “Josh will come into his own when the show is live. He’s a comedian and needs things to react to. He’s going to be just fine.”
Josh Widdicombe explains his Strictly role
Josh also compared presenting the programme with stand-up, where he normally commands the audience’s full attention. He suggested Strictly’s contestants and dancing remained the central attraction.
He said: “You don’t want to make too big a thing about it because it’s not about you…”
He added that the presenters formed only a small part of the wider show.
Rob Beckett publicly backed his friend after watching the launch at home with his family. He praised all three presenters for their joy, energy and confidence.
Rob said the programme still felt like a normal Strictly episode. He also predicted the refreshed line-up could become something special.
When one follower called the episode too over-the-top, Rob joked that Strictly is always over-the-top.
Strictly launch ratings show a split picture
The overnight Strictly viewing figures offered a similarly mixed picture.
The pre-recorded launch peaked at 5.8 million viewers, slightly above last year’s 5.6 million peak. However, its average audience was 5.3 million.
Read more: Strictly: Lights Off spin-off show announced by BBC after 2026 series gets off to glittering start
That was just below the 5.4 million average recorded in 2025. The figures showed a stronger high point, but a marginally smaller audience across the whole episode.
For Josh, though, the immediate verdict was much simpler: he enjoyed the night. Attention now turns to how all three presenters settle into the series.
Strictly Come Dancing continues at 6.15pm on BBC One on Saturday September 26, 2026.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI technology to synthesise source reporting and structured data. It has been reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.
