Brief

Johannes Radebe explains early start to Strictly’s Movie Week

Radebe says the shift lets all 15 celebrities experience a themed week before they leave the competition.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 06 Oct 2026 22:30:17 GMT

Strictly Come Dancing’s Movie Week arrived a week earlier than usual in 2026, and new host Johannes Radebe told The Independent the change was made so every celebrity contestant could take part in at least one themed week before elimination.

What happened

Saturday’s live show featured the 15 celebrity pairs performing dances inspired by films such as Ratatouille, Grease and The Sound of Music. The week, which normally falls in week three of the series, was moved forward to week two. The shift means scores from the first live show will be combined with Saturday’s scores to create the new leaderboard.

What the reports add

Radebe said, "Everybody then gets an opportunity to be a part of a themed week before they're eliminated," adding that the restructuring is unprecedented in the show’s history. He noted that the professionals are eager to see the creative process for their partners’ film‑inspired routines.

What was said

Radebe told The Independent: "We've never had that on the show and seeing just how we've moved everything in certain places and how it's structured, it's really gonna be exciting. Something that hasn’t happened in years so I know the professionals are going to eat it up. I can’t wait to see their creative process and what they're gonna come up with for their partners."

How it came about

The decision follows the launch of the 2026 series, which introduced a new hosting trio of Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, as reported in Felo’s earlier coverage of the line‑up and launch.

Key facts

• Movie Week was moved from week three to week two in Strictly Come Dancing 2026. (independent.co.uk)
• Johannes Radebe said the change ensures every contestant can join a themed week before elimination. (independent.co.uk)
• Saturday’s show featured dances themed to films including Ratatouille, Grease and The Sound of Music. (independent.co.uk)

Sources

• [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Strictly’s new host reveals reason behind big Movie Week change”