Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden, who missed out on having a celebrity partner last year amid her treatment for breast cancer, said she was “so happy” after her performance during the series first live show.
After their first performance, Welsh dancer Dowden and her partner JLS singer JB Gill were awarded 31 points from the judges for their waltz to When I Need You by singer Leo Sayer.
Dowden, who disclosed her cancer diagnosis in May 2023, which was subsequently followed by chemotherapy and a mastectomy, said: “I am so happy I could burst.”
Head judge Shirley Ballas told the dancer: “Amy, you’re home where you belong and I have to say that choreography was absolutely outstanding.”
DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, who was celebrating his 62nd birthday, and his dance partner, Luba Mushtuk, opened the show with a jive to We Built This City by Starship.
Judge Anton Du Beke said they were “uplifting” and added that he felt “elated” after watching their performance, which scored 18 points from the judges.
After their performance Knowles was given a cake from professional dancer Carlos Gu who, appearing in a high-vis jacket and builder’s hat, grabbed a piece of the cake and pushed it in Knowles’ face.
Elsewhere former field hockey player Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin performed a foxtrot to Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes.
Quek, who was given 23 points by the judges, was told by Motsi Mabuse that she was “shining” while Ballas told her she had “attitude”.
Former X Factor winner Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu danced the Samba to Do I Do by Stevie Wonder and earned a score of 21.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood said as a Samba the performance “failed miserably”.
He added: “It was more like a salsa. I think you’re going to do great during the salsa. This, for me, didn’t go far enough into the world of samba.
“So yes, you’ve got great body rolls, and you’ve got very loose hips, which is all gorgeous to look at, probably for everyone at home, and wonderful rhythm, but it didn’t have the technique for me.”
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones danced the tango to Ray Of Light by Madonna which was also criticised by Revel Horwood and received 12 points from the judges.
Love Island’s first deaf contestant, Tasha Ghouri, was given 30 points from the judges after her performance with dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec.
The reality star appeared on top of a giant coffee cup as she began her performance with Skorjanec, who has returned after a two-year hiatus.
They danced the cha cha to Sabrina Carpenter’s number-one hit Espresso and Skorjanec said it was a “beautiful moment” to see Ghouri take off her cochlear implant toward the end of the dance so they could “just feel one another and just dance together”.
Head judge Shirley Ballas told Ghouri: “You are on your way to having one of the most spectacular leg actions I think I’ve ever seen on the show.”
Reality star and podcast host Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal danced the paso doble to Breathe by electronic dance music band The Prodigy.
Wicks, in an all-black leather outfit, and Przystal were given 17 points from the judges.
Miranda star Sarah Hadland and last year’s Strictly winner Vito Coppola were awarded 30 points after their dance to Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5.
Co-host Claudia Winkleman said this was the highest score a quickstep had received in week one and Ballas said Hadland had “great frame” and “great footwork”.
Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova danced the tango to Harry Styles’ song Golden and received 23 points.
Morning Live’s Dr Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez were given 19 points after they danced the cha cha to Love At First Sight by Australian pop star Kylie Minogue.
During last weekend’s launch show professionals performed a celebratory dance to mark Dowden’s return.
The BBC One dance competition has returned for its 20th anniversary series amid an investigation launched by the corporation after allegations made about former professional dancer Giovanni Pernice by his 2023 celebrity dance partner Amanda Abbington.
Before the new series the BBC said it would introduce new welfare measures, including a chaperone who will be present “at all times” during rehearsals.