BBC presenter Ed James defends Josh Widdicombe over Strictly hosting backlash

Mixed · 2Comedian Josh Widdicombe, 43, joined Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe as a Strictly Come Dancing presenter for the first live show on Saturday 26 September, replacing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. 1 2 Left · 1Many fans criticised the three-host format on social media, and Widdicombe drew the most criticism, according to the Daily Mirror. 1 Left · 1Ed James, who presents for BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country, questioned why Widdicombe was getting such a hard time. He wrote: "If you didn't like him, switch off!", called him "a great presenter" who was "bound to have been bloody nervous", and asked people to be kinder. 1

Left · 1In a follow-up video, James said he had received abuse for the post, with people telling him to stop telling them what to think. He said debating the format or criticising the BBC and producers was fine, but personal attacks on someone in the first week of a job were not. 1 Left · 1James added on his radio segment that he is not a "massive fan" of Strictly, though he thinks it is a "great show". 1 Left · 1According to the Mirror, Strictly professionals Dianne Buswell and Lauren Oakley backed James's posts. Emma Willis shared a quote saying "You'll get judged either way so may as well pick the fun option", and former pro Vincent Simone said there had been "way too many changes all in one go". 1

Right · 1In a GB News opinion column, Alex Davies agreed Widdicombe has not performed well, saying his presence felt unnecessary and that he is "not a front-man". Davies argued that the blame lies with BBC Studios executives who appointed him, rather than with Widdicombe or Radebe. 2 Right · 1Davies criticised BBC executives Kate Phillips, Sarah James and Suzy Lamb for earlier praising the trio's "chemistry", said Willis was the "only saving grace" of the revamp, and wrote that Strictly "cannot go on this way" if it is to survive. He also said Widdicombe is using an app called "the Brick" to limit his social media time. 2 Right · 1The Daily Mail's Katie Hind reported that the first live show peaked at 5.049 million viewers, down from 6.2 million at the same stage last year, and that BBC insiders described the show as "in resus" and spoke of an internal blame game. 3

Right · 1Anonymous sources told the Mail that Widdicombe and Radebe "are simply not experienced in live television", that Radebe began reading the voting terms and conditions before he was on camera, and that nobody could explain Widdicombe's casting; Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark were said to have auditioned. The Mail also reported fears that Widdicombe, who said after the pre-recorded launch show he had never felt "so tired", might not last the series. 3 Right · 1A Strictly spokesman said it was the most watched programme last weekend with a peak of 5 million, and that overnight ratings "do not give the full picture" of on-demand viewing. 3 Centre · 1In an Evening Standard opinion piece, Holly Bishop wrote that Widdicombe's self-deprecating panel-show humour does not yet suit Strictly beside Willis, but that this is not his fault. She suggested he might fit better in the upstairs "Clauditorium" role now held by Radebe, and argued that one live show in, with 12 to go, viewers should give the new era a chance. 4