Motsi Mabuse Defends New Strictly Hosts, Warns AI Could One Day Replace Them
Motsi Mabuse asked viewers to be kinder to Strictly's new presenting trio and warned that AI might eventually take over their roles.
Strictly's latest series introduced a three-person presenting team—comedian Josh Widdicombe, veteran Emma Willis and dancer Johannes Radebe—while longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped aside. Audience reaction was mixed, with some viewers calling Josh a "spare part" after he missed his cue twice. Judge Motsi Mabuse, who has served on the panel since 2019, took to Threads to ask fans to show more compassion toward the newcomers, describing the trio as "imperfectly human."
She also noted that artificial intelligence is improving and may one day make it hard to tell presenters from digital avatars, potentially leaving viewers nostalgic for the flawed humanity of live TV. The episode also featured a light-hearted exchange between Mabuse and fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood, and no eliminations were scheduled for the week.
Why it matters
The story highlights public resistance to format changes in a flagship TV show and raises questions about AI's future role in entertainment.
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