Strictly Come Dancing professional Katya Jones was caught on camera reacting to Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb during the opening live show of the BBC competition’s 2026 series. The dancer was spotted on the balcony telling new professional Aleksandra Isaeva that the soap star was “fit” following his Paso Doble performance with partner Jowita Przystał.
Viewers immediately picked up on the unguarded moment, taking to social media to discuss the unscripted comment. One viewer posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Haha Katya mouthing ‘fit’ after Lawrences dance,” while others questioned whether she had said the word.
A Decade on the Strictly Dancefloor
The live show moment comes as Katya celebrates her tenth year on the dancefloor. First joining the BBC show in 2016 for its 14th series, the 37-year-old is now the oldest female professional dancer on the program.
Earlier this year, she survived a series lineup change that saw several long-standing female professionals depart. She acknowledged feeling fortunate to return to the hit show, noting that she still genuinely loves the work.
“It’s been ten years. I’m the oldest female professional now,” Katya said. “Of course, I felt lucky to be asked back. We never take these opportunities for granted and it doesn’t matter how your last year went, you are always hoping to be invited back.”
Championship Pedigree Meets Fresh Pressures
For the current competition, the three-times World and nine-times National Latin American champion is partnered with YouTuber John Nellis.
“I’m still going to try. I will do my best, that’s all I can do. I can’t control the audience, but I’m holding that hope yet again,” she added.
Sharp Critiques Hit the Opening Live Studio
The opening episode brought tension beyond Katya’s balcony remarks, particularly during the judges’ critiques. Judge Craig Revel-Horwood delivered sharp feedback to contestant Cach Mercer following his quickstep routine.
“Too much freestyle for me,” Revel-Horwood said. “You’re a great freestyle dancer, we know that, but we don’t need to see that here in a quickstep. The whole point of this is that you’re learning a new genre of dance. So I’m finding it really difficult to actually judge that.”
Family Reactions From the Studio Audience
Revel-Horwood also offered direct criticism to Dani Dyer regarding her footwork, noting unhappiness with her “un-turned feet.” The critique prompted a visible reaction from Dani’s father, actor Danny Dyer, who pulled a frustrated face while watching from the studio audience.
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