Strictly Come Dancing Shakes Up Judging Format: Weekly Tie-Breaker Rotation
Strictly Come Dancing has announced a significant change to its judging format. After years of the head judge, Shirley Ballas, holding the casting vote in case of a tie, the show will now rotate this power among all four judges weekly. This comes after Ballas faced severe online abuse and considered leaving the show in 2022 due to mental health concerns.
Ballas, who remained head judge in 2025, expressed relief about the change. She stated, 'I'm thrilled that the responsibility of elimination decisions will now be shared among all judges. It's a weight off my shoulders.' The change was supported by the BBC and described as an 'exciting addition' to the format by a show source.
Former Strictly star Vincent Simone believes this change will help avoid bias among the judges and allow for variety in decisions. He commented, 'It's great to see the show evolving and giving each judge a say in eliminations.' Viewers will now decide which judge has the final say in case of a tie, adding an interactive element to the show.
The new format, set to begin in the upcoming series, will see the deciding vote rotate weekly among Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, and Shirley Ballas. Ballas has expressed excitement about seeing Du Beke sending someone home, hinting at the potential dynamics this change could bring to the show.
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