Josh Widdicombe has faced a fierce backlash after making his Strictly Come Dancing debut. The comedian, who presents alongside Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe, came under intense scrutiny from viewers after the first live show on September 26. Now, former Strictly professional James Jordan has shared his verdict on Josh’s opening performance. The ballroom dancer held nothing back as he offered the Last Leg star some candid advice ahead of Movie Week.
Speaking to Express.co.uk on behalf of WhichBingo, a trusted guide to bingo sites, the 48-year-old admitted that he feels the current presenting line-up “doesn’t really work”. He said: “So I’m not saying anything that the majority of people don’t think. It doesn’t really work.
“The difference between Emma and the other two was huge, in my opinion. So it’s not working at the moment, but given time, maybe it will. It’s a really hard one.” Asked where Josh might be better suited among the presenting roles, James suggested he could thrive in the “Clauditorium”.
“I think maybe he’d be better in Claudia’s room, yeah,” he said. “I don’t think Johannes is maybe the right character to be there. You need someone who’s quick and witty and can react to certain things, instead of saying ‘my darling’ all the time.
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“I just didn’t feel that he was the right fit for that position. I think there are too many. It was confusing having three of them. I thought it was going to be done in a clever way. I didn’t feel it was. I just think they’ve got it wrong, unfortunately.”
James’ comments come after Josh Widdicombe stepped back from social media this week amid a wave of online criticism. The former professional dancer also offered advice on dealing with negative reactions while appearing on the BBC dance show.
James said: “I feel sorry for them, but you’re going to get judged no matter what you do, aren’t you? If you go and do something and put yourself in the entertainment world, whatever you do, you’re going to get criticism.
“You need to learn how to take that, brush it off and either crack on and get better at it, or, if you don’t like it, step away from social media. If it’s affecting you, and as long as people aren’t trolling him and bullying him — but who wouldn’t want to take the position.”