Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke for Strictly Come Dancing 2025 / BBC
Strictly Come Dancing returns for its 24th series this weekend as the ballroom contest marks an impressive 21 years on the air.
The show launched in 2004, just six years after its predecessor Come Dancing reached a conclusion, itself having been on the airwaves since 1950.
Without any significant changes to the format, Strictly remains a ratings behemoth and in 2024 averaged over 8 million viewers a week.
“Audiences love the fact there’s colour, movement, great songs and dancing but they also love that it’s family-friendly entertainment,” said Craig Revel Horwood, the only judge to have served since the start.
“A three-year-old could sit with a 90-year-old and watch the show together – it brings the whole family together. Strictly has become a complete and absolute institution.”
Professional dancer-turned-judge Anton Du Beke agreed: “Well, they just love it – that’s really all it is. We have faithful audiences, who love to see who the new lineup is; love to see who’s getting partnered with whom; and love to see people’s journeys.
“The thing I find is, in the UK, people just love people, and they love watching people. That’s why soap operas and continuing dramas have been so popular through the decades. Strictly is much the same, the public feel they can invest in the show by voting and keeping their favourites in, that’s the most important part for me. The audience involvement.”
The new series of Strictly Come Dancing launches Saturday at 6.40pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
