BBC Strictly Come Dancing 'feud' exposed as fans notice moment live on air

A potential "feud" on Strictly Come Dancing has been brought to light as viewers noticed a professional dancer's "unimpressed" expression upon learning their celebrity partner. The much-anticipated return of the BBC One show was celebrated on Saturday night, with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman attempting to move past the controversy that plagued the show earlier this year.

To kick off the 22nd series, each celebrity discovered their dance partner, with JB Gill pairing up with returning pro Amy Dowden, and Pete Wicks partnering with former champion Jowita Przysta. However, some sharp-eyed fans suggested one of the professional dancers "struggled to look happy" when they met their celebrity partner.

As Karen Hauer was revealed as ex-footballer Paul Merson's teammate, numerous fans speculated she appeared less than thrilled. "Wow Karen was struggling to look happy when she met Paul," one viewer commented on a Reddit thread, while another added: "I really wish Karen had been benched instead of Lauren this year. It feels unfair that she's had a partner every year but her enthusiasm for the show seems to get lower and lower each year. She came across as really rude."

Viewers flocked to Twitter following the latest Strictly pairing, expressing a tepid response to Paul Merson's partnership with Karen Hauer. Tweets captured the sentiment, exemplified by one user: "Paul Merson doesn't want to be partnered with Karen lol I can see another Will Young exit type lol #Strictly2024."

The anticipated reveal of their partnership was saved for the climax of Saturday's episode, reports the Mirror.

When queried about his reaction to teaming up with Karen, Paul affirmed, "I'm pleased, I'm very pleased," despite Karen playfully chiding him for his restrained excitement: "Hey! Give me a smile."

The atmosphere seemed sombre later in the studio with Claudia Winkleman, as some audience members observed Paul's subdued demeanor when discussing his partnership with Karen. "Paul, you're with our longest serving pro - the unbelievable Karen. How happy are you? " Claudia inquired.

His terse, "Yeah, well pleased. The two oldest together," elicited laughter from those gathered.

After reportedly signing up for the show in July and being announced as part of the glamorous Strictly line-up in August, Paul commented, "Joining Strictly is a whole new ball game for me, but I'm going to tackle this challenge head on. I'm ready to swap the pitch for the Ballroom floor, so here's hoping my two left feet can learn some moves and you never know, maybe I'll be taking home the Glitterball Trophy! " poking fun at his own prospects.