Strictly Come Dancing's TikTok Partnership Fails to Attract New Viewers

Strictly Come Dancing's recent partnership with TikTok has not yielded the expected results, with the strategy failing to significantly boost viewership or attract a younger demographic. The initiative aimed to leverage popular TikTok personalities, such as social media star John Nellis and former Love Islander Cach Mercer, to draw in their followers.

The approach mirrored the success of Strictly's American counterpart, Dancing With The Stars, which saw considerable ratings growth among under-35s by integrating TikTok content. Last year, that show experienced an 118% year-on-year increase in viewership for this demographic, partly due to content creator Alix Earle's involvement, which generated millions of views.

However, for Strictly, the impact has been less pronounced. Videos posted by Nellis and Mercer have not achieved the same level of viral success as anticipated. Nellis's initial performance video garnered 411,000 views, but this figure declined to 79,000 for his latest dance. Similarly, Mercer's first dance had 544,000 views, dropping to 496,000 for his most recent performance. A notable exception was the viral performance of "Babydoll" by Jamie Miller and Antonio Cipriano, which achieved 3.3 million views, but most other content on the show's official TikTok page receives between 20,000 and 150,000 views.

The overall television audience for Strictly has remained largely consistent with the previous year. The show continues to be a popular program, ranking as the third most-watched show in the second week of October, behind The Traitors. The most-watched Saturday episode in October drew 5.1 million viewers, with the launch show attracting 5.3 million. However, when compared to previous years, the show has seen a decline. The 2025 launch show had 5.4 million viewers, a decrease of 432,000 from the 2024 tally and the lowest opener since 2007. The all-time peak for Strictly was the 2020 finale, which attracted 13.2 million viewers.

Analysts suggest that while the TikTok stars are generating engagement on their preferred platforms, this social media activity is not translating into increased television viewership. One hypothesis is that the fan bases of these creators do not significantly overlap with the traditional Strictly audience.

The BBC has stated that the show has a long-standing presence on digital platforms and expressed confusion regarding the article's focus on TikTok, asserting that Strictly already commands impressive viewing figures and social engagement.

In other entertainment news, four Beatles films are scheduled for simultaneous release in April 2028, with Sony reportedly considering withholding individual box office gross figures to protect the performance of less popular installments. Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney are involved in the films, alongside the estates of George Harrison and John Lennon. The cast includes Paul Mescal as McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.

Superstar Zendaya is not expected to receive an Oscar campaign for her role in The Odyssey, though some of her co-stars will be supported by distributor Universal for awards consideration. The film has grossed $1.7 billion worldwide. Zendaya is also anticipated to be in contention for her role in Dune: Part Three. Additionally, her performance in the A24 dark comedy The Drama, alongside Robert Pattinson, could also be recognized, especially with the rule change allowing multiple nominations per category.

Olivia Colman stars in the comedy film Wicker, which was released today. She plays a woman who falls in love with a husband woven by a basket maker. The film has divided critics, but Ikea has humorously referenced it in an Instagram campaign featuring its rattan furniture.

Romesh Ranganathan's comedy game show, Romesh Ranganathan's Parents' Evening, has been renewed for a fourth series by ITV, despite the third series being postponed to early next year due to budget cuts.

Sacha Baron Cohen's character Ali G has faced a muted reception in the U.S. with the film Ali G: Who Iz I? receiving a limited release and quickly moving to streaming. Critics have been largely unfavorable, and the film has struggled to gain traction with younger audiences amid accusations of racism. However, the film performed better than expected in the UK, reaching third place at the box office.

Dame Helen Mirren will star as writer Patricia Highsmith in A Talent For Murder, set for release next month.

Singer Marti Pellow has expressed concern for fans after Viagogo allegedly used his image to promote tickets for his former band, Wet Wet Wet, despite him having left the group in 2017. Pellow has taken legal action, but the advertisements, which include his face, remain on the ticketing site. Wet Wet Wet is set to embark on a 40-date tour next year with new singer Kevin Simm, while Pellow will also tour with his own show, "No Marti, No Party."