Strictly fans say It Takes Two's new format 'will take some getting used to'

Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two returned to television screens on Monday (28 September) evening, but fans were a bit unsure about the new format.

As the first episode of the Strictly Come Dancing spinoff aired on BBC2, viewers were quick to notice something very different this year.

As new host Ellie Taylor took the reins, looking lovely in a bright pink dress adorned with sparkly bows, it quickly became apparent that the celebrity contestants were no longer being interviewed alongside their professional partners.

Instead, Ellie interviewed Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, and Jaime Winstone all at the same time, and their pros were nowhere to be seen.

Taking to X, fans tuning in at home were quick to share their thoughts, as one person claimed: "Celebs being interviewed on their own will take some getting used to."

Another person wrote: "An interesting take to have celebs on without their partners. Must be trying to lessen the pressure cooker of them needing to spend every second together. Let’s see how it goes."

A third viewer asked: "Why are they not being interviewed in their couples? Would have been nice to see the partnerships and hear how the professionals think it's all going. Can't understand why they're not doing that now."

A fourth person demanded: "Nope… go back to interviewing celebrities & pros together," and another claimed: "The entire reason most of the strictly fandom watch ITT and the main show is for the pros, why are they suddenly not included in the interviews?! BAD move."

Someone else refused to watch the show altogether and posted: "How weird is it not having the pro dancers on with their "celeb"....why not? Seeing them both together is the best bit. You can see their chemistry better...cuddled up or sitting apart. Ellie is great, but i don't like this format. Won't be watching again."

However, one thing that everyone did agree on, was that Ellie was fantastic as the new host.

The Ted Lasso star, who competed on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2022, recently teased a shakeup to the spinoff show.

Speaking to Digital Spy and other media, Ellie revealed: "It's going to have a new set, which I'm excited about, which you'll see when it starts to air, and I think it'll feel very familiar."

"It's sort of It Takes Two reborn for 2026. In the way the main show is changing a lot, then this show is also changing – but there's also going to be bits, formats that people remember, beloved sections like Vicky Gill doing her chats about the beautiful clothes, that sort of thing.

"But it's going to be sort of refreshed and just changed up a little bit. So hopefully it'll be a really nice mix of old and new," she added.

Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two airs weekdays at 6:30 pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

Kirsty is a freelance writer and editor specialising in all things entertainment. Over the past 16 years, she has worked on showbiz desks at various national newspaper websites in London, including Express.co.uk, The Sun, and MailOnline.

More recently, she spent three years living in New York City writing celebrity and lifestyle news for DailyMail.com, The Mirror US, and Daily Express US. Kirsty graduated from Southampton Solent with a BA in Magazine Journalism and Feature Writing. When she's not watching reruns of Sex and the City, you'll find her listening to David Bowie and daydreaming about an espresso martini.