OPINION: Strictly Come Dancing 2025 has drawn to a close – but will it ever return?

Karen and Carlos were the 2025 Strictly champions
Karen and Carlos were the 2025 Strictly champions (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Guy Levy)

Millions of us tuned into BBC One on Saturday evening to watch the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 finale, which saw Karen Carney and her professional partner Carlos Gu crowned the winners following an emotional evening of dancing. However, when a new trailer for The Traitors, which Claudia Winkleman hosts, aired on the BBC just before the Strictly finale, I couldn’t help but think one thing… It felt like a telling sign that the BBC will devote all its time and attention to The Traitors, rather than Strictly going forward. Let’s face it, figures for The Traitors have been growing since the deceptive reality series, which is filmed in Scotland, landed on BBC One in 2022.

Claudia Winkleman will remain at the helm of The Traitors
laudia Winkleman will remain at the helm of The Traitors (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry)

Both the standard version and the 2025 celebrity series have been massive hits, with fans desperately looking forward to the programme’s return on January 1.

In fact, the television moment of 2025 had to be when comedian Alan Carr single-handedly won The Celebrity Traitors, leaving the nation in utter shock.

It’s the unpredictability of the show which appears to be keeping viewers locked in. Whereas Strictly is nothing but predictable, having had the same format for the past two decades.

There’s no doubt that The Traitors will air for years to come, as it continues to develop a bigger audience year after year, thanks to the brilliant cast members and Claudia’s incredible presenting abilities.

In contrast, Strictly has been riddled with scandals in recent years and has been seeing a decline in viewership. To make matters worse for everyone involved in Strictly, its hosts Claudia and Tess Daly have called it quits.

Did Claudia leave Strictly as she knows everything will be poured into The Traitors?

Was the preview clip of the upcoming series aired before this year’s Strictly final a telling clue that the BBC dancing series is going to be scrapped?

If more people sit down to watch the final of the upcoming series of The Traitors than Strictly, BBC bosses may have no choice but to think of a new show for the primetime BBC One Saturday night winter slot.