While everyone focuses on the question of which presenters will replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing, another – bigger – revolution is taking shape.
The BBC is considering the possibility of a TikTok overhaul, in a bid to reverse the show’s declining ratings.
Sources say they are planning to take a leaf out of the Dancing With The Stars playbook – that’s the US version of the show, which is licensed from the original format.
DWTS has enjoyed an incredible ratings growth with younger audiences, thanks to a bold strategy to incorporate TikTok into every part of the programme. Viewing figures were up 118 per cent for the under 35s last year – and 70 per cent for the under 50s.
The American show started by inviting TikTok content creators such as Charli D’Amelio – who won in 2022 – to become contestants.
Last year, competitor and content creator Alix Earle got 30million views on videos she took during the Wicked-themed show.
As well as TikTok creators participating, the key has been creating ‘native content’ – short videos just for TikTok – during the production process, such as reaction videos, bloopers and rehearsal snippets.
The boss of BBC Studios, who make Strictly in the UK, is Zai Bennett. He confirmed this week that the DWTS team has been sharing what it’s learned about the power of TikTok with other territories where Strictly is produced.
Charlie D’Amelio pictured attending a Teen Vogue x Kate Spade vent in New York City on June 10, 2025
Pictured: former Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman (pictured right to left) on December 25, 2025
Bennett said: ‘There’s some amazing stuff about casting and TikTok and it was really about making lots of native content.’
He refused to rule out the possibility that a TikTok star might take the reins from Tess and Claudia, saying: ‘That news will come out of the BBC. It’s ultimately up to them.’
More likely, though, is the prospect that Strictly will start to boost its roster of celebrities with some TikTok personalities.
The DWTS phenomenon shows that creators are changing how viewers engage with the show: streaming it on their phones or laptops; and also checking out clips and videos on their phones during watch parties. It’s all about the power of the ‘second screen’, meaning that viewers are on their phones while watching the actual programme on a second device.
Dancing With The Stars is now the most watched unscripted reality show on American TV, beating The Voice and Survivor. By contrast, Strictly Come Dancing had a poor year in the ratings in 2025. Overall, it averaged 7.3million viewers per episode – placing it outside the top ten shows in the UK.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘Strictly Come Dancing continues to be one of the biggest entertainment shows in the UK, with the latest series attracting more viewers via iPlayer than ever before. The show has embraced social and digital platforms for a long time, with Series 23 achieving a billion global video views across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.’
Spielberg’s new alien film is invaded – by Brits
Actress Emily Blunt arrives at the Lose Angeles premier of The Smashing Point in Beverly Hills on September 29, 2025
The aliens are coming this summer – with Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated UFO movie Disclosure Day set to open in June.
Some posters and trailers have now been released and show British actress Emily Blunt, pictured, playing a TV weather presenter, based in Kansas, whose voice is apparently hijacked by an unseen force during a broadcast. The film is based on an original idea by Spielberg, the Hollywood legend who made Close Encounters Of The Third Kind nearly 50 years ago; and he’s also directing.
Astonishingly, it has been scored by his legendary collaborator, the composer John Williams – who turned 94 this week.
In addition to Blunt, the film stars The Crown’s Josh O’Connor and Colin Firth, and there is a small social media backlash underway over a cast so prominently stuffed with Brits.
One criticised Blunt for having ‘resting Duchess face’ and said: ‘There has never been one second of any film in which I have believed her as anything less than an English lady born in 1897.’
First Lady Of The Pit lane leaves (her own) agency
Natalie Pinkham in a kart ahead of the F1 Grand Prix final on July 3, 2025, in Northampton
Sky Sports presenter Natalie Pinkham, who appears as herself in the Brad Pitt film F1, has parted ways with the sports marketing agency she co-founded.
Friends confirm that Pinkham, pictured, a friend of Prince Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, is no longer involved with YRDS, which she set up in 2023.
A pal says: ‘There were big creative differences and it turned out not to be a good fit for her. They didn’t share a vision in the end.’ She finally disentangled herself last year, a process which was complicated because she was an investor. She is no longer mentioned on the company’s website.
The agency currently represents boxer Richard Riakporhe and Sky Sports presenter Olivia Harlan Dekker, among others.
When she joined, Pinkham said: ‘I’m really excited to be launching this new agency; the landscape of sport, commercial and content is changing and there is absolutely a need for more support on and off the track in motorsport. Also, I’m passionate about using the skills in this business to help more female athletes better market and commercialise themselves.’
Can high-school Ken save the world?
Ryan Gosling potrayed as Ken in the smash blockbuster hit Barbie in 2023
The actor pictured portraying Ryland Grace in the forthcoming blockbuster Project Hail Mary
They have done their best to dim Ken’s shine – with glasses, a lanyard, dishwater blond hair and an ill-fitting tweed jacket. But is it possible to make Ryan Gosling, aka Barbie’s big-screen beau, left, look like an ordinary boffin?
Gosling is seen here in a still, right, from the forthcoming blockbuster Project Hail Mary, based on the hit book by Andy Weir.
In it a high school teacher, Ryland Grace (Gosling), has to save the world by accepting a nigh-on impossible space mission.
Author Weir also wrote The Martian, which was made into a film starring Matt Damon.
Take That’s Gary Barlow says his bandmate Howard Donald has been manipulating him for decades, by making sure the group always stays near a golf course on tour – so he can slip in a round before a gig.
Donald, 57, pictured with his bandmates either side of him, has apparently been prevailing on the tour manager to book him, Barlow and Mark Owen into hotels as close as possible to top courses. Barlow, 55, said: ‘Me and Mark had a big discovery on our last tour. One morning we were like: “Why are we staying two hours from the gig?”
‘And we were quizzing our tour manager, who’s been with us for 30 years. She went: “Well, it’s Howard’s golf.” And I realised: “Bloody Singapore… are we here again because of Howard?” She replied: “Yeah, he’s playing in the morning.” ’
Pictured from left to right: Members of Take That, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen at The Circus Live Summer 2026 Tour
Some good news for Gordon Ramsay: his production company has just landed a deal to make a new show for the BBC called Rockstar Chefs.
It will be an observational documentary; and Ramsay may not appear on screen.
The chef has had his struggles to connect with a British audience, with three recent big money shows – Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars and the 2021 horror Gordon Ramsay’s Bank Balance – all flopping.
Next Level Chef managed just one series in the UK in 2023, but is still going in the US. Ditto Future Food Stars, an Apprentice style show axed here after two series, but still attracting audiences in the States.
Two other programmes – Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares – are running on Fox, years after the UK versions disappeared.
Ramsay is about to be seen on Netflix in the documentary series Being Gordon Ramsay, which is streaming from February 18.
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