James Jordan Criticizes Strictly Come Dancing as 'Woke Panto'

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan has voiced strong criticism of the BBC show, labeling it a "woke panto" that has become too "filtered and scripted." Jordan, who competed on the show for eight years from 2006 to 2013, believes the program has deviated from its core appeal, particularly for its long-standing older audience.

Jordan expressed his dissatisfaction with the show's current format, citing the introduction of three new presenters—Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe—as "unnecessary." While he acknowledged Emma Willis's presenting capabilities, he felt the other two were not a good fit for the show at present. "When you look at Emma in comparison to the other two hosts, you can see that she is a presenter," Jordan stated. "For me personally, I think that it's not really working, and you can really feel a difference in Emma's hosting skills compared to the other two."

He lamented the perceived shift away from showcasing the raw reality of the training room, preferring to see the "arguments," "tantrums," and struggles dancers face. "I want to see them in the training room. I want to see the arguments. I want to see the tantrums. I want to see people struggling with the routines," Jordan said. He argued that the current portrayal of "one big, happy family" does not reflect the reality of the intense competition, where dancers experience anxiety and self-doubt.

Jordan also suggested that the judging panel has become overly cautious to avoid causing offense. He specifically mentioned Craig Revel Horwood, whom he once considered a favorite for his "brutally honest" critiques, now being consistently positive. "The judges are not trying to be too woke and not upset people," Jordan observed. "I just think it's all become a little bit too fluffy for me."

He attributed these changes to a perceived effort to cater to younger generations at the expense of the older viewers who have followed the show for two decades. "The world's gone a little bit woke. The younger generation, a little bit precious, I don't know," he remarked. "I feel that possibly they're trying to adhere to the younger generations instead of keeping the generation that has watched it for the last 20 years, which is the older generation."

Despite his criticisms, Jordan affirmed his continued affection for the show itself. "The show's still amazing, and I love the show. I just feel they need to take a step back a little bit," he concluded.

Overnight ratings for the pre-recorded launch show indicated a peak of 5.8 million viewers, a slight increase from the previous year's 5.6 million. However, the episode averaged 5.3 million viewers, a decrease from 5.4 million in 2025. While the peak figure shows a marginal rise, it remains significantly lower than the 6.7 million peak and 6.3 million average recorded in 2023, before the show faced controversies regarding contestant treatment and behind-the-scenes culture. A spokesperson for Strictly noted that the show was the most-watched program of its broadcast night, reaching a peak of 5 million viewers, and emphasized that overnight ratings do not capture the full viewing figures in an on-demand viewing landscape.