Shortly after the credits rolled on last Saturday’s first live show of the revamped Strictly Come Dancing, new presenter Emma Willis shared a selection of behind-the-scenes pictures and videos.‘Week one, done. I’ve never had so much fun! What a way to kick things off,’ she enthused on Instagram.Those who know Emma – who in the post is skipping along the backstage corridor in a pair of slippers, arm in arm with her husband Matt – say this is typical behaviour for her. She always, I’m told, ‘looks for joy and positivity in situations’.It’s an instinct that she’ll certainly need. For the BBC’s flagship show has been criticised for its revamp, which saw Emma, comedian Josh Widdicombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe – take over from stalwarts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman – and has been haemorrhaging loyal viewers at a critical rate.Perhaps the show’s demise was best illustrated when compared to the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors which launched on Thursday – with Claudia at the helm, which drew more than 9million viewers. There’s no doubt that 50-year-old Emma, a seasoned presenter with shows such as The Voice and Big Brother under her belt, will do her utmost to save Strictly.Yet despite her efforts, I’m told by some within the BBC that the show is currently considered to be ‘in resus’ after it landed flat with viewers.It peaked at 5.049million, down from the 6.2million who watched the same stage of last year’s competition – and this after a huge PR push that had gone on for weeks.Little wonder one BBC employee told me earlier this week: ‘It felt like the darkest weekend in Strictly’s history. Some thought the first live show was kooky, others thought it was absolutely amateurish. The new hosts of Strictly, Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe, did their first live show on Saturday – which was criticised by many viewers ‘It’s a Saturday night show, Strictly is one of the BBC’s biggest programmes and while Emma is a great broadcaster, the other two are simply not experienced in live television and it showed,’ one BBC employee told Katie Hind The trio have taken over the show from Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly‘But the ratings speak for themselves. Almost 1.2million people didn’t tune in and that’s not good.‘It’s a Saturday night show, Strictly is one of the BBC’s biggest programmes and while Emma is a great broadcaster, the other two are simply not experienced in live television and it showed.’So disastrous was this first live episode that I’m told it has resulted in an internal blame game. Senior management are wondering just how the casting panel decided this motley grouping was the best they could get. ‘The problem is the people choosing are middle-aged, middle-class adults who think they know what young people want. They’ve tried to be cool but it hasn’t worked.’Indeed, those viewers who did watch on Saturday were left stunned almost from the word go.One Strictly insider told me that they felt the trio looked completely out of place from the first line-up – and things only got worse.When Johannes, 39, stood in what was once called the Clauditorium – where Claudia used to quiz celebrities and their partners after their dance – he began reading the terms and conditions of the voting system before the couple had even gone up the stairs and before he was on camera.I’m told that some behind the scenes had their heads in their hands at the ‘schoolboy error’, while those at home cringed at the mistake.Meanwhile, 43-year-old Josh’s banter-like presenting style didn’t seem to go down well with judge Motsi Mabuse, and he seemed to cut her off at one point. She jumped in: ‘Are we going to be friends or enemies? You choose now!’It comes after Josh was spotted mouthing his co-host Emma’s autocue lines during the pre-recorded episode a fortnight ago. There were also reports that some lines had been completely fluffed for the pre-record before being edited out of the final programme.All this left some at the BBC terrified of what would happen on the night. When the credits rolled, I’m told there was a sense of relief among management – not because the performance had been seamless, but simply because it was over.Crisis meetings had dominated the run-up to the first live show – and this week too.‘Emma is great,’ says my source, ‘but they should have put her with a seasoned presenter.‘There is a lot of blaming going on, and loads more casual bitching amongst staff. Those who are more level-headed can’t see how this was allowed to happen.‘You only have to look at the line-up and it’s obvious that it’s not particularly professional.’None of this is helped by some in the Strictly production team being unable to take constructive criticism, even banning some journalists from weekly interviews with the talent.‘It’s a bit over-the-top,’ says my source. ‘It’s the BBC, Strictly is funded by the licence fee payer.’It’s not like Strictly bosses didn’t have other options. Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark auditioned. Seasoned professionals Holly Willoughby, Bradley Walsh and Dermot O’Leary were also available.Why, then, did bosses make the choices they did?I’m told Johannes – the professional dancer who joined the show in 2018 – made it apparent that he had his sights set higher than just being a competitor. Strictly insiders say that the South African is ‘super ambitious’ and there were fears he would quit the show if he was again kept as a dancer.With no room on the judging table – Shirley, Motsi, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke are under contract for the current series – he was made a host.As for Josh? ‘Nobody can explain that,’ says my insider with a sigh. ‘He’s good as a comedian. Strictly just isn’t the right show for him.’There are fears that Josh, who has co-hosted Channel 4 panel show The Last Leg since 2012, may not even make it through the series – especially after confessing that following the pre-recorded launch show he couldn’t remember ever feeling ‘so tired’ in his life.He told his Parenting Hell podcast: ‘I’m not stressed, I’m tired. I think my autumn is going to be more full-on than I anticipated.’A source tells me this does not bode well: ‘Strictly is gruelling. Tess and Claudia were at the studio in Elstree every Friday first thing and they were there until really late at night.‘It was hard graft. Then they’d be back in there on Saturday mornings early, do dress rehearsals and then the live show.‘Then, after that it’s the Sunday episode which needs to be pre-recorded. It’s well-paid but tough.‘If Josh was tired after a pre-record, just wait until he’s done a few live shows.’There’s little doubt that Josh is the presenter who will be most keenly watched by critics tonight, which will only heighten his nerves.As well as the choice of presenters, much criticism has been levelled at producers for the poor celebrity line-up. Many are known by younger audiences rather than the traditional Strictly viewer.A Strictly spokesman said: ‘Strictly was the most watched programme last weekend with a peak of 5 million, and crucially overnight ratings do not give the full picture of all those who watch in an on-demand world.’At its height, Strictly was regularly watched by over 10million, with a peak audience of 13.2million tuning in to see comedian Bill Bailey pick up the glitter ball with dance partner Oti Mabuse in 2020.‘Some would say five million is a huge number in 2026, others think it isn’t,’ says a BBC source.‘But while there are many opinions flying around about what should happen, the one thing for sure is that it is never going back to ten million plus viewers.’Indeed, that’s a feat that not even Emma’s relentless positivity can make a reality.