This season of Strictly Come Dancing has been a blur, obscured by a seemingly endless flood of tears. The show's descent into what critics are calling 'myjourneyitis' – the relentless focus on emotional backstories and on-camera breakdowns – has left many viewers feeling more manipulated than entertained.
The Epidemic of 'Myjourneyitis' on the Dancefloor
While last year's series was dominated by controversies over inappropriate behaviour, the 2025 run has been defined by a wave of injuries and an even bigger wave of sentimentality. Key contestants including Dani Dyer, Stefan Dennis, La Voix, and Alex Kingston were all forced to withdraw due to injuries sustained in rehearsal, a spate of bad luck that naturally elicited genuine frustration.
However, the more pervasive issue has been the show's embrace of a tired reality TV trope. The symptoms of 'myjourneyitis' are now familiar to any regular viewer: heavy foreshadowing, slow-motion emotional shots, and contestants breaking down whether they receive good, bad, or average feedback. The narrative almost always involves mentions of grandparents, a sick relative, an 'unsexy' former job, or a 'Stoic Mum'.
This year, the professional dancers themselves appear to have been directed to 'be more emosh', with even the most steely pros required to muster a tear in support of their celebrity partner's hard work. It has led to what some see as fake boo hoos rather than authentic moments.
Forced Narratives and Audience Backlash
The pressure to conform to this emotional blueprint has been intense. YouTuber George Clarke, the beneficiary of the 'Strictly Mums' vote, felt compelled to dedicate a Movie Week rumba to his mother who has cancer. His mother was later seen in the audience looking 'mortified' at the attention, a common reaction from family members thrust into the spotlight.
Yet it is the last-minute replacements, Amber Davies and Lewis Cope, who have borne the brunt of this narrative pressure. The influential 'Strictly Mums' segment of the audience, who allegedly control votes like a 'mafia', are known to dislike professional 'ringers'. Despite her brilliant dancing, Amber Davies's musical theatre background counted against her. Her response – frequent, pretty tears of gratitude or stress – only seemed to harden the disapproval.
Lewis Cope fared slightly better, but his large family of 13 siblings and numerous nieces and nephews were repeatedly called upon for emotional support, making the Cope clan a near-constant presence in the studio.
The Power of Earned Emotion
This manufactured sentiment stands in stark contrast to moments of genuine, earned emotion on the show, which remain incredibly powerful. Last year's winner, comedian Chris McCausland, notably refused to play the 'journey' game. His poignant moment dancing alone in the dark to 'You'll Never Walk Alone' moved the entire nation, precisely because it was authentic and understated.
Similarly, Rose Ayling-Ellis's silent Couple's Choice routine, dedicated to the Deaf community, was a stunning television event. The article also highlights the recent example from *The Traitors*, where contestant Alexander Dragonetti's straightforward, tear-free story about his late brother inspired viewers to donate over £95,000 to Mencap.
As the series finale approaches on Saturday 20 December 2025, the plea from fatigued viewers is clear. Strictly Come Dancing is at its best when it treats its audience as adults and focuses on the sheer, hard graft of dance. The pantomime of forced journeys, wobbly relatives, and late nans feels desperately outdated in the mid-2020s. With new hosts promised for next year, fans are hoping for a fresh start that sweeps away the tears and lets the dancing shine once more.
