Madcap charm surpasses months of Strictly scandal

The first live episode of this season's 'Strictly Come Dancing' leans into the show's surreal side

- Katie Rosseinsky

In the lead up to the first Strictly Come Dancing live show of the season, there was a huge question mark hanging over the dance competition. How would the show address the months of scandal that has threatened to tarnish its primetime sparkle?

Would we see behind the scenes footage of chaperones sitting in on rehearsals? Each couple now has a member of staff present during practise. Would Tess and Claudia solemnly refer to the new welfare measures, just as they assiduously reminded us about social distancing when the show aired during Covid? Would Shirley Ballas make a speech? In the end, none of that happened. Instead, Strictly returned to doing what it does best – giving us a dose of glitzy, escapist chaos that played out like a surrealist dream, with mahogany fake tans. It was a (slightly unhinged) business as usual approach that paid off.

Host Claudia Winkleman seemed to be channeling Princess Leia as she sauntered onto the ballroom floor wearing a white dress with a high neck and flowing sleeves (although over on Instagram, she hinted that she’d actually been inspired by the Greek crooner and kaftan aficionado Demis Roussos). Her outthere sartorial choices seemed to set the tone for an episode that really leaned into Strictly’s camp, larger-than-life character.