Strictly viewers all say the same thing about Nick Knowles
Strictly Come Dancing has kicked off its latest season with the first live episode on Saturday, September 21. The first celebrity to hit the dance floor, striving to keep cool in front of the judges and audience, was Nick Knowles, the host of DIY SOS. The 62-year-old, partnered with professional dancer Luba Mushtuk, performed a jive to Starship's classic 1985 song "We Built This City," donning a high-visibility vest and builder’s attire, with a shiny silver shirt beneath. Prior to the performance, Nick candidly shared that he would need some lessons in dancing, stating, "I've spent my entire life picking up new skills and I'm never one to shy away from a challenge. There's still some fight left in this old dog for one last big task - learning to dance! I’m going to give it my all... and hopefully not make my kids cringe!"
Nobody anticipated that the father of four would perform like Fred Astaire during his debut, but fans of Strictly took to social media to share their astonishment at Nick's impressive skills on the dance floor. One viewer remarked, “I really enjoyed Nick's performance. Great job for the first week,” while another added, “While #Strictly is airing, Nick Knowles feels like everyone's dad. He has that charming dad vibe, doesn’t he? He did a great job.”
For his debut dance, Nick donned a builder's outfit.
Nick and Luba kicked off the evening's dancing - Photo: BBC/Ray Burmiston
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One person commented, “I was really surprised—Nick actually did pretty well! I was expecting it to be terrible,” while another person complimented his attire, saying, “Absolutely, Nick and Luba! That was a blast! Now I want some shiny high-visibility clothes!”
When it was time for the judges to share their thoughts, the scores were decent, especially for a first performance. Nick stood there with a sense of pride for completing the routine, but Craig Revel Horwood, sporting his new beard and channeling his inner villain, only gave him three points. The other judges—Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, and Anton du Beke—each gave Nick and Luba a score of five points. There was another reason for Nick to be happy, as it was revealed to be his birthday. He received a cake, and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" while icing was playfully smeared on his face, causing presenter Claudia Winkleman to quickly retreat to avoid getting messy herself.
Other famous faces joining the Strictly dance floor for the premiere episode are singer Toyah Wilcox, comedian Chris McCausland, reality television personality Pete Wicks, model Tasha Ghouri, former footballer Paul Merson, and opera singer and television star Wynne Evans.
