The rules of the dance-off just got a major shakeup
In short: For years, one judge held the ultimate power over who stayed and who left. In series 23, that monopoly ended. Discover how the show restructured its most tense moment and the high-stakes scoring mechanics that determine every victory.
Strictly Come Dancing series 23 introduced a significant structural change to the 'dance-off.' Historically, the head judge held the sole casting vote to decide which of the bottom two couples would be eliminated. The BBC began a weekly rotation of the casting vote between four judges—Anton Du Beke, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood—during this particular series. This rotation began during a period of significant cast turnover. New professionals Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon joined the lineup in July 2025. These newcomers brought experience from international platforms like So You Think You Can Dance.
The competition also saw a major transition in leadership. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman hosted the show until October 23, 2025, marking their final series as presenters. Meanwhile, the judging panel remained consistent with Horwood, Mabuse, Ballas, and Du Beke, though they now shared the responsibility of making the final calls during high-pressure elimination rounds. The series also featured several high-profile celebrity substitutions. Lewis Cope replaced Kristian Nairn after the latter withdrew for health reasons. Additionally, Amber Davies stepped in to replace Dani Dyer following a training injury.
The scoring system remains a complex calculation of technical skill and public sentiment. Judges award scores out of ten, which are converted into points based on rank—where the top couple receives points equal to the total number of couples dancing that week. These are then combined with public votes. In the event of a tie in total points, the public vote takes precedence, ensuring that audience popularity can act as the ultimate tie-breaker before the judges' dance-off even begins. Specific rules dictate how points are distributed when scores are identical. If two couples share a rank, the couple below them receives one point fewer than those tied. This ensures that every single placement is accounted for during the final tally.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Strictly Come Dancing series 23
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-strictly-come-dancing-series-23.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Culture · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
