During the first live show of Strictly Come Dancing 2026 on September 26, professional dancer Katya Jones was caught on camera on the balcony describing Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb as fit. The moment sparked a flurry of reactions on social media as the BBC competition kicked off its latest series.
Katya Jones Caught on Camera Sharing Candid Thoughts After a Paso Doble
Strictly Come Dancing returned for its first live show on Saturday, September 26, bringing the usual blend of judges’ critiques and backstage chatter. For veteran professional dancer Katya Jones, who is marking her tenth year on the BBC programme, the evening offered a front-row seat to her co-stars’ routines. As Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb and his partner Jowita Przystał finished performing a Paso Doble to Aperture by Harry Styles, the broadcast cameras cut to the balcony upstairs.
Eagle-eyed viewers immediately noticed Katya turn toward new professional dancer Aleksandra Isaeva. Footage of the unscripted moment appeared to show the 37-year-old dancer whispering a short, direct assessment of the soap star.
Did Katya say ‘fit’ after Lawrence’s dance?
Viewers on X, via Metro
Social media lit up within minutes of the broadcast. Fans shared clips and debated what Katya had said, with users joking about her reaction and wondering whether she had called the actor well fit
or simply fit
as the cameras panned away from the dancefloor.
Lawrence Robb Trades the Dales for the Ballroom Floor
Lawrence Robb is currently taking a temporary break from his day job playing Mackenzie Boyd on Emmerdale. To explain the actor’s absence on screen, his character was written out quickly, with Mack departing for Germany amid a turbulent storyline involving his imprisoned wife Charity and local resident Ross Barton.
Emma Atkins, who plays Charity, revealed that the production team had to hustle to get him off set after he received the call from the dance competition. For the next couple of months, alongside strutting my stuff on the Emmerdale fields, I’m going to be strutting my stuff on the dancefloor,
Lawrence explained before the series began. It’s very exciting, but I’m terrified.
During Saturday’s live broadcast, the actor and Jowita Przystał earned a total of 20 points from the judging panel. Craig Revel Horwood awarded a four, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas each gave five, and Anton Du Beke rounded out the scores with a six. While the judges noted issues with his technique and posture, Shirley praised his opening line, and viewers online were quick to champion his moody facial expressions and dramatic intensity.
Judges’ Scores and Early Leaderboard Standings
While Lawrence and Jowita found themselves further down the table, Katya Jones experienced a much stronger start to the competition alongside her celebrity partner, YouTuber John Nellis. The pair topped the leaderboard with a commanding 31 points out of 40 after performing a foxtrot to Ordinary by Alex Warren. Motsi Mabuse hailed their routine as the best of the night, while Shirley Ballas told John that his performance was very, very special.
Australian singer Delta Goodrem followed closely behind in second place, securing 29 points for her samba with Kai Widdrington. At the opposite end of the board, a three-way tie formed between Melanie Walters and Aljaž Škorjanec, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr, and Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon, who all finished with 15 points after the judges handed out several strict twos and threes.
New Hosts and Unfamiliar Formats Shape Week One
The 2026 launch brought significant changes off the dancefloor following the departures of long-standing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman at the end of the 2025 series. The new hosting trio of Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe stepped into the roles on Saturday night, dividing presenting duties between the main dancefloor and the auditorium.
The altered format drew a mixed response from viewers at home. Some fans took to social media to remark on the dynamic during the live broadcast, though Josh earned some laughs for making a playful throwback joke referencing the musical chairs-style pairing process from the launch show.
No couples faced elimination at the end of the evening. Because the opening episode did not feature a public vote, the judges’ marks will carry forward and combine with next week’s scores ahead of the first public elimination next Sunday.