Strictly 2026 fans 'obsessed' with 'chaotic' new pairings twist: 'Much better than those boring VT pairings!'
"Good concept"Strictly 2026 fans were loving the new pairing twist that happened during tonight’s show.
Unlike in previous years, the celebrities and dancers found out who they would be paired up with whilst they were dancing!
Strictly introduces new pairing twist
Tonight’s show saw the celebrities and pro dancers find out who they’d be paired up with whilst they were dancing.
In previous years, the celebrities and their pro dancers have found out who they’d be dancing with in a pre-recorded VT, which would be shown during the launch show. However, that wasn’t the case this time round.
New host Emma Willis introduced the concept. The celebrities and pro dancers would perform a routine together.
During the dance, they would swap dance partners.
Whoever the celebs would be paired up with on Emma’s signal would be their partner for the series.
The first five celebrities to be paired up were Dani Dyer, Jamie Winstone, Melanie Walters, Lacey Turner, and Dame Sarah Storey.
Dani was paired with Nikita Kuzmin, Jamie with Carlos Gu, Melanie with Aljaz Skorjanec, Lacey with Vito Coppola, and Sarah with Julian Caillion.
Fans deliver their verdict on new twist
It’s safe to say that fans were loving the pairing twist!
“This partner swapping thing to choose the pairings is so much fun!! I much prefer this to the pre-recorded VTs,” one fan gushed.
“I am OBSESSED with this new pairings twist already. It’s pure chaos!!!” another wrote.
“Good concept but, that went on a bit and got tad chaotic. Like these pairings though,” a third tweeted.
“Much better than those boring VT pairings,” another said.
However, some fans didn’t enjoy the new twist.
“Didn’t enjoy the swapping partners thing to find the pairings. At all,” one grumbled.
Strictly continues next Saturday (September 26) from 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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