BBC audiences were treated to a thrilling Strictly Come Dancing kickoff last weekend, where this year's contestants were paired with their professional partners, much to the delight of viewers eager to see dance floor favourites like Johannes Radebe, Dianne Buswell, Karen Hauer and Nikita Kuzmin. This season also marks a return for Neil Jones and Nadiya Bychkova, who will be getting their shot at the glitter ball after joining the main competition lineup. Last year saw Neil and Nadiya blend into group performances without the opportunity to pursue the top prize - a twist of fate endured by Kai Widdrington in 2023 as he wasn't partnered up but was seen matching steps with Angela Rippon.
Saturday night's premiere set the stage ablaze, and Erin Boag spoke frankly on the professional pairing process. Chatting with Express.co.
uk, courtesy of Spin Genie , she said professionals needn't take the matching process to heart, noting every pro brings excellence to the table: "I don't think you can take this personally as a professional, because all of the professionals are fabulous." She emphasised that it's always good to give others a chance to shine: "I can't name any professional that's ever been on that show that shouldn't have been there, because they're all fabulous, and they all work hard, but sometimes it's nice to showcase somebody else." Last year saw Neil and Nadiya blend into group performances without the opportunity to pursue the top prize (Image: (Image: BBC)) Erin shed l.