Strictly Come Dancing has confirmed a twist involving the judging panel for the 2025 series, with its impact set to hit next week – but what do fans think of this "unpredictable" alteration to the formula?
The BBC series returned last Saturday (20 September) with the pre-recorded launch show as the 15 celebrities discovered who they would be partnered with. The competition began properly tonight (27 September) with the first live show.
After all the couples delivered their first dancing routines, a pre-recorded teaser with a voiceover from head judge Shirley Ballas confirmed that a twist would be in place from next week onwards – she will be head judge no more!
Instead, the honour would rotate between Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke each week, with the nominated individual that episode being given the decisive vote in the dance-off when there is a tie.
Though the format is practically the same, it does mean that results could be a little more unpredictable due to each judge's personal taste, with fans of the series largely agreeing that it's a much-needed alteration.
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"I like the idea of a different head judge each week. It makes it more unpredictable. Welcome back Strictly!" wrote one viewer on X, with another adding: "The head judge role is no more. About flipping time!"
"Omg a different head judge every week??!!! I'm here for it," wrote another viewer, with a fourth writing: "Oooh I like that, a new head judge final vote off choice each week, that'll be interesting."
One viewer was a little more sceptical regarding the twist, however, remarking: "I fear that new head judge voting system is going to cause even more carnage every results show."
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Another fan suggested that the power in the dance-off should be handed to the voting public, writing: "I think would've made more sense for it to be down to the public vote instead of a different judge each week but okay."
In terms of the action on the night, it was Karen Carney and Carlos Gu who topped the leaderboard after scoring an impressive 31 for the jive, while Ross King and Jowita Przystal sat at the bottom after accruing just 10 points for the cha cha cha.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
