Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse appeared to address rumors of tension with co-host Josh Widdicombe during Saturday night's broadcast, making a pointed comment that drew laughter from Widdicombe and the audience. This occurred as viewers expressed growing approval for the new hosting lineup, particularly Johannes Radebe.
During the third week of the competition, after a routine, Widdicombe playfully referred to himself and co-host Emma Willis as "dancers." Mabuse responded directly to Widdicombe with a clear "Yes Josh, my FRIEND!" a remark many interpreted as a response to online discussions about perceived friction between them.
Speculation about tension between Mabuse and Widdicombe first surfaced in week two, with some viewers suggesting Mabuse was irritated by Widdicombe's jokes. The judge's public affirmation aims to dispel these rumors.
This season's hosting arrangement, featuring Radebe alongside Willis and Widdicombe, has faced scrutiny since the initial live show, with some viewers initially labeling Widdicombe as a "spare part." However, by week three, audience sentiment seemed to shift, with many taking to social media platform X to express their warming to the trio, and specifically Radebe.
Comments on X included observations like "Johannes is getting better every week," and "Emma Willis is fab..so natural with the contestants..loving her on #strictly johannes and Josh definitely more settled as well." Another viewer noted, "Jojo is settling in better and better each week. More at ease and relaxed."
Johannes Radebe, a former professional dancer on the show, has been particularly praised for his role. One fan commented, "Johannes up in the Clauditorium (Jojotorium?) is inspired thinking. His personality and liveliness puts people at ease but he also has the dance knowledge to be able to talk about choreography and technicalities. I also just love Jojo."
Week three saw a series of performances, with EastEnders actress Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola opening the show with a Samba, earning 26 points. Will Best and Dianne Buswell followed with a Waltz, receiving 25 points. Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr's Quickstep landed them at the bottom of the leaderboard with 15 points.
Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby's Couple's Choice routine earned them their highest score to date with 31 points. Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu performed a Viennese Waltz, securing 28 points. Melanie Walters and Aljaž Škorjanec's Charleston garnered 17 points.
Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon received 20 points for their Paso Doble. Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington continued their strong performance, topping the leaderboard with 33 points for their Salsa. Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystał's Rumba scored 20 points, a performance that led to disagreement between judges Craig Revel Horwood and Shirley Ballas.
Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin earned 27 points for their Tango, with Mabuse noting a "different side" to Dyer. Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley received 25 points for their Jive.
John Nellis and Katya Jones's Cha Cha scored 20 points, a dip from their earlier performance. Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu were awarded 27 points for their American Smooth. The final performance of the night was Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita's Argentine Tango, which earned them 31 points, placing them second on the leaderboard.
The results show is scheduled to air on Sunday, featuring a dance-off between two teams of Strictly Professionals: Ballroom versus Latin, led by Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas respectively.