Strictly Come Dancing is back on our TV screens! The iconic dancing and entertainment program returned earlier this year for its 23rd series, and it has proven to be a big one already. You know we're all still reeling from the midseason revelation that hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman would be leaving after this series comes to an end. But, as they like to say in show business, the show must go on!
This series has featured plenty of memorable routines already. From Karen Carney and Carlos Gu's sensational opening Jive to Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillion's excellent Charleston, fans have been invested in all of the show=stopping routines we have seen thus far. We also can't forget the best-scoring routine of the competition thus far in Alex and Johannes' beautiful Rumba, which solidified this partnership as the one to beat in the competition.
Yes, there have been a lot of fan-favorite couples this series, and Icons Week was the perfect reminder of that when so many of them escaped the Dance-Off despite low scores. And with that, it's a reminder of how every vote counts. If you would like to vote for your favorite couple for the first time this series, there are some changes you need to be aware of.
Strictly has shifted to online votes only in 2025
Remember back in the day when you wanted to vote for your favorite contestants in a talent show and you had to pick up the phone to do so? Well, Strictly continued to employ that format until as recently as last year (alongside the benefit of online voting too). Now, however, its strictly online, meaning that there is no phone voting system anymore - marking a first for the series in its 21 years of existence. With that in mind, here's how you can vote.
When Claudia announces that the vote is open on the Saturday night shows, you can head on over to bbc.co.uk/strictly. If you already have a BBC account, you can immediately vote for your favorite couple. If you don't, you can quickly register for one during the show (or do it now by clicking here). Alternatively, you can scan the QR code which shows on your screen during the show with your mobile phone and that will take you through to the voting page.
As online voting is the only way of voting this year, you will be given a maximum of five votes to use, which is two more than the typical three (five votes were usually reserved for the final alone).
The change marks a significant movement away from the format that is beginning to be deemed "old-fashioned" or "outdated" in today's digital age. Although phone voting used to be the primary method of casting votes for your favorite contestants on these iconic reality shows, there has been a trend away from them in recent years, with shows like Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! all relying on their own apps instead.
Strictly was one of the last holdouts due to its older audience, but as younger celebrities and influencers sign up each year, digital voting has become the primary method of voting for it too. The BBC has revealed that the vast majority of voting for the previous few series of Strictly have come from online audiences, so the change was inevitable.
Just remember, when your favorite couples dance in Halloween Week, Musicals Week, Blackpool, and every other major milestone in the competition this year to get voting online as phone voting is no longer active. The end of an era for sure, but the start of a new one!