Josh Widdicombe has broken his silence after his Strictly Come Dancing hosting debut left viewers with very different opinions.
Speaking on Tuesday’s Parenting Hell podcast, the comedian said he loved the experience and thanked supporters for their kindness. He also had some gushing words for his co-hosts Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe.
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 address the negative comments during the conversation. Instead, he revealed that 20 friends had joined him at home to watch the pre-recorded programme.
There was just one small problem, 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 was the first outing for Josh, Emma and Johannes as replacements for Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Emma won praise from viewers for being a “natural”, but the reaction to the trio was far from unanimous. On X, some viewers questioned whether Strictly really needed three presenters.
One person said: “Good lord… I think two presenters is better than three… you know the saying, three’s a crowd.”
Josh, meanwhile, came in for some particularly harsh comments. 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.”
But not everyone was ready to write him off. One viewer 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 is normally the centre of attention. He suggested the contestants and their dancing should remain the main attraction on Strictly.
He said: “You don’t want to make too big a thing about it because it’s not about you…”
Rob Beckett also publicly backed his friend after watching the launch at home with his family. He praised all three presenters for their joy, energy and confidence.
Strictly launch ratings show a split picture
The overnight Strictly viewing figures painted 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: Dani Dyer reveals Strictly return protection plan after devastating injury
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, however, the immediate verdict could hardly have been clearer: he loved it. Now all eyes will be on how the three presenters settle into the series.
Strictly Come Dancing continues at 6.15pm on BBC One on Saturday September 26, 2026.
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