The highly anticipated 2025 series of Strictly Come Dancing made its official return to BBC One, kicking off the competitive dancing on Saturday night, September 27. The first live show saw the 15 new couples take to the famous ballroom floor for their inaugural routines, delivering a mix of impressive performances, emotional moments, and a few unexpected incidents that left viewers talking.

Among the standout performances, former Lionesses midfielder Karen Carney, partnered with Carlos Gu, made history as the first footballer in 18 years to top the Strictly leaderboard. Their jive to Blondie’s “One Way Or Another” earned them an impressive 31 points, with judge Anton Du Beke declaring it “the best dance of the night.” Another moving moment came from Olympian and Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who was visibly emotional after his cha cha with Karen Hauer, scoring 19. Harry shared how he had dreamed of this moment, having recovered from an injury that prevented him from being at 100% previously.

Drag artist La Voix and professional partner Aljaz Skorjanec scored 24 for their American smooth to Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.” However, their performance was preceded by a slight technical hitch, causing an awkward delay where presenter Claudia Winkleman attempted to fill time before Tess Daly eventually announced the pair, later attributing the delay to “technical issues.” More notably, it was during La Voix’s routine that viewers were left surprised by an unusual sound. Many fans took to social media, expressing how they had “never heard the audience laugh before” during a Strictly dance, with comments like “LOVED it AND a proper laugh from the audience????!! Oh La Voix the queen you are #Strictly” and “Never heard the audience laugh before during a dance. WINNERS #strictly #strictlycomedancing.”

The scoring of some couples also sparked debate among viewers. Doctor Who and ER star Alex Kington, partnered with Johannes Radebe, performed a waltz to Julie London’s “Cry Me A River,” scoring 21. While Anton Du Beke enjoyed the dance but critiqued time spent out of hold, and Shirley Ballas offered advice, Craig Revel Horwood was less forgiving, calling the rise and fall “lumpy.” Many fans felt Alex and Johannes were “severely undermarked,” with social media filled with complaints such as “These scores for Alex are shocking. She was wonderful!” and “Unfair scores for Alex.”

Model and actress Ellie Goldstein, the first contestant with Down syndrome on the show, also made her inspiring debut with Vito Coppola. She had previously expressed her hope to “be an inspiration” to viewers. Their cha cha to Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” scored 17, and head judge Shirley Ballas even presented Ellie with a “fabulous” fan. Anton Du Beke praised Ellie as the “joy” of the series, and Motsi Mabuse noted how their dance lifted her mood, while offering advice to keep her feet on the floor. Beyond her performance, viewers were touched by the supportive interactions between Ellie and the professional dancers in the 'Clauditorium', with Dianne Buswell, Karen Hauer, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, and Vito Coppola observed comforting and engaging sweetly with Ellie.