all change
Strictly Come Dancing in HUGE shake-up just moments into 1st live show as huge tradition is ditched & fans aren’t happy
Fans were left rattled by the big change
STRICTLY Come Dancing made a huge change to its format as it kicked off its first live show of the series.
The BBC dance contest welcomed its stars and their pro partners to the ballroom for the first time as the show's 20th anniversary got firmly underway.
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However, it did not take long before fans immediately picked up on a major format change just minutes into the episode.
Ditching a long tradition, the show chose to ditch the tradition theme tune opening as the new cast of celebs strutted down the double staircase.
Usually, the stars and their pro partners walk down the stairs to Dave Arch and his band playing the live version of the show's iconic theme tune.
Instead, the show opted to use the same music as the first group number by the pro's.
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Furthermore, the stars were simply introduced by their names and not by their profession.
In the past, voiceover Alan Dedicoat welcomed the stars by informing the audience how they would know them followed by their name.
He did so on last week's launch show, exemplified by welcoming Jamie Borthwick as an EastEnders actor and JB Gill as a pop star.
But that was ditched as well in favour of just the star's names.
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Immediately picking up on the changes, one fan commented on X, formerly Twitter: "Not sure about this change in introducing the celebs and professionals. #Strictly #StrictlyComeDancing #SCD."
Another added: "Missing the old orchestra intro music."
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A third shared: "Don’t know how I feel about them not having the strictly theme playing as the contestants walk down the stairs, it’s not the same."
Before a fourth wrote: "Can't decide if I liked that change of music over the couples walking downstairs or not. Is it permanent or just for the date? Felt very Dancing With The Stars but I didn't hate it."
As a fifth added: "Why aren’t they playing the classic music please may I ask? And couples already dressed in daft gimmicks!!!"
During tonight's show, Zara McDermott made a grand return to the programme after being caught up in one of the show's biggest scandals of the year.
She cropped up in the audience to support pal Pete Wicks as he made his dancing debut.
Viewers were stunned to see Zara sitting in the audience after the scandal that threatened to destroy the long-running show.
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Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
JB Gill and Amy Dowden MBE
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
The star posted her return on Instagram, writing: "So excited!!!! Team Pete!!!!"
But tonight it was clearly all put aside with Zara sitting in the audience with her boyfriend Sam Thompson to support his best friend Pete.
The former Made In Chelsea star often jokes about being in a "throuple" with Pete, since he's best friends with her her boyfriend, Sam Thompson, 31.
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Previously, Zara broke her silence with a lengthy comment on the alleged "physical incidents."
Her dance partner Graziano Di Prima was fired by the BBC following claims he hit, spat at and kicked at his former celebrity partner.
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