Former Strictly star Vincent Simone has exclusively spoken out after viewers were left unimpressed with changes to its results show.
The 2025 series is in full swing and Movie Week is just around the corner. Last weekend, Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden were the first couple booted off.
While many were left divided over the result, they were also distracted by the show’s new format.
Strictly viewers react to ‘new format’ following first results show
On Sunday night’s results show, there was a bit of a Strictly shake-up. Usually, host Tess Daly would tell one couple they were in the bottom two mid-way through the results show, and the other just before the dance-off.
This weekend, however, she let two groups of couples know they were safe, before introducing guest singer Zara Larsson and leaving four couples with another agonising wait. It was only after Zara performed that Tess let the remaining four couples – who Dianne and Stefan, Karen and Harry, Chris and Nadiya and Thomas and Amy – know their fate.
After viewers found out that Thomas and Amy and Nadiya and Chris had landed themselves in the bottom two, they expected Dianne and Stefan and Karen and Harry to return upstairs for an interview with host Claudia Winkleman. Except that didn’t happen.
Fans also noticed that the entrance music and tense song played during the show’s elimination process is not the same. After 23 series, the Strictly’s format has felt like a tradition for viewers. So naturally, they reacted online with disappointment.
“I feel sorry for the last two safe contestants who don’t get to speak in the Clauditorium and the music is weird,” one user wrote. “One thing I didn’t like was not hearing from the last two that got through,” another shared.
“Is it me or is the new format of the results show awful,” a third said. “Farewell old tension music much missed,” a fourth expressed.
“Just watched the result show, the new format is stupid, can production stop change the traditional things? First entrance music, now two more couples can not get interview? What’s your problem? This show already losing vibes and production pushing it,” a fifth wrote.
‘It puts more pressure on the couples’
Following the complaints, Vincent shared his opinion exclusively with ED!.
“Things need to evolve – shows, people, everything,” he said, on behalf of Paddy Power Games.
“I did like it this year, I liked that it was a bit different and left the couples waiting longer. It made it more interesting, even though it might be a bit more upsetting for them.”
Vincent insisted that the “only negative” is when the call out order for who is safe is “random”.
He added: “If you’re not called early on, it can be nerve-wracking waiting there, wondering if you’re safe. But on the other hand, it can push people to work even harder the following week.”
“From a viewer’s perspective, I think it’s a good change. It puts more pressure on the couples and adds to the excitement. When you’re down to the last few waiting, it really gets the audience going.”
Read more: Strictly star Vincent Simone critiques Balvinder Sopal’s dancing: ‘It’s something we don’t accept’
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