Brief
John Nellis tops Strictly leaderboard in debut week
The 33‑year‑old YouTuber’s first dance routine earned him the highest score of the night and marked him as the top betting favourite for the 2026 series.
By Felo News Desk · Published
In the opening episode of Strictly Come Dancing 2026, social media star John Nellis delivered a foxtrot with professional partner Katya Jones that earned him a score of 31, the highest of the night. The judges praised the routine, with Anton Du Beke calling it “stunning” and Shirley Ballas describing it as the “best dance of the night”. Nellis’s score matched that of last year’s winner Karen Carney in week one, a coincidence noted by viewers.
At 33, Nellis had quit his job as an air traffic controller four years ago to focus on content creation. He began with football‑centric videos and grew to 16 million YouTube subscribers and 2.6 million TikTok followers. The YouTuber’s production team now works full‑time, producing polished content that includes collaborations with football stars such as Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland and Zinedine Zidane.
Strictly’s launch episode drew a record 5.8 million viewers, and betting markets have placed Nellis at 3/1 odds to win the series. The show features a returning panel of four judges and a new host trio of Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe.
Key facts
- John Nellis scored 31 points with Katya Jones in the first Strictly episode (independent.co.uk)
- Anton Du Beke described the routine as “stunning” (independent.co.uk)
- Shirley Ballas called the dance the “best dance of the night” (independent.co.uk)
- Nellis’s score matched last year’s winner Karen Carney’s week‑one score (independent.co.uk)
- Nellis has 16 million YouTube subscribers and 2.6 million TikTok followers (independent.co.uk)
- Strictly’s launch episode attracted 5.8 million viewers (independent.co.uk)
Background
Felo News previously reported on the 2026 Strictly season, noting that John Nellis was the top betting favourite and that the launch episode set a new viewership record.
Why it matters
Nellis’s performance and high score position him as the leading contender for the series title, influencing betting markets and audience expectations.
What happens next
The series will continue with weekly dance performances and public voting, with the next episode scheduled for 5 pm on 5 October.
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Meet John Nellis: the YouTuber who’s now the favourite to win Strictly”
