It was heralded by many viewers as the best season yet - but when Strictly Come Dancing returned on Saturday 14 September with a dazzling, fun and colourful launch show, one change to proceedings had some fans seeing red.That glaring absence was the lack of a same-sex pairing, as per previous years - and fans were swift to take to X to vent their upset.
One wrote: "I really loved the launch show but I can't help feeling sad about the lack of same sex pairings, even in the group dances.
It really does feel like Strictly has taken a step backwards and I do feel uncomfortable about it." Another raged: "Shame they've gone all the way back to the status quo with no same-sex coupling this year." A third angry viewer penned: "On the whole, the pairings are fine, but having no same-sex pairings (even if it was because of a drop out) and benching Kai and Carlos feels like the producers pouring fuel on the fire." A fourth wrote: "Massively disappointed by the lack of a a same sex couple in this year’s Strictly.
Inclusion and representation is so important." The hit BBC One show was hailed as groundbreaking four years ago when it featured its first ever same sex couple - and had continued to do so up until last year.That couple was Olympic champion boxer Nicola Adams and dancer Katya Jones.
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