September 23rd 2024.
Many Strictly viewers were not impressed with the outfits worn by the celebrities on Saturday night. As the popular dance competition returned for its 20th anniversary season, 15 new celebrities graced the dance floor. However, not everyone was pleased with what they saw.
Leading the pack with an impressive score of 31 points was JLS singer JB Gill, who gave a stirring performance of the waltz with his partner Amy Dowden. Just behind him were Love Island's Tasha Ghouri and Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, both receiving 30 points from the judges.
On the other end of the leaderboard were 80s popstar Toyah Wilcox and former footballer Paul Merson, with scores of 12 and 17 respectively. But viewers at home were not happy with what they believed to be the true reason for Paul's low score - the "stupid, gimmicky outfits."
The criticism seemed to come after Paul and DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles had danced their numbers. Some viewers took to Reddit to express their frustration, questioning why male celebrities are often given "stupid, gimmicky" outfits and themes while female celebrities are presented more seriously. This, they believe, skews the public's perception of their dancing abilities.
Others also pointed out that the song choices and costumes for the male celebrities were not helping their chances. One viewer even mentioned former contestant John Sergeant, whose time on the show is still remembered for its controversial moments.
Despite these criticisms, there were still some positive moments from the night. Of the 15 celebrities competing this year, nine are male, and in week one, the male contestants scored an average of 22.1 points, slightly lower than the female contestants' average of 23.3 points.
While the overall viewing figures for the show's opening night were down compared to previous years, the show still managed to attract an impressive audience share of 49.4%. The numbers are also expected to rise in the coming days as fans catch up on missed episodes via BBC iPlayer.
The show's success has also prompted fans to join Metro's Strictly community on WhatsApp, where they can keep up to date with all the latest news and rumors from the dance floor.
So despite the criticisms and complaints, Strictly Come Dancing continues to capture the hearts of its loyal viewers, and the BBC has confirmed that the show will go on as planned. As we eagerly await the next episode, let's keep dancing and enjoying all the glitz and glamour that Strictly has to offer.
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