Strictly Come Dancing 2019 live shows start date and time confirmed

The start date and time for the first Strictly Come Dancing 2019 live show has been confirmed.

Fresh from the launch show tonight, details about this year’s opening live episode has been confirmed.

When do Strictly’s live shows start on TV?

Strictly 2019’s first live episode airs on Saturday, September 21 at 7PM. The marathon first episode runs to 9:20PM.

Having been paired up with their professional dancer, the celebs have two weeks to rehearse before returning to the ballroom to perform live to the nation every Saturday night.

As always, there will be no public vote in the first week however they will be marked by the returning judges – Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood, head judge Shirley Ballas and new judge Motsi Mabuse.

Those marks will carry forward to the next week where one unlucky celeb will get the boot.

The results show with Tess and Claudia will begin from week two on Sunday nights.

From then, each week the two couples with the lowest combined scores, from the judges and public vote, will face each other in the dance off, and one couple will leave the competition for good.

Meanwhile, spin-off It Takes Two begins at 5:15PM on Monday night from September 23 on BBC One.

Hosted this year by Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark-Neal, the show will then return to its usual home on BBC Two at 6:30PM after two weeks.

The couples on Strictly Come Dancing 2019 include Catherine Tyldesley & Johannes Radebe, Saffron Barker & AJ Pritchard, Michelle Visage & Giovanni Pernice and Alex Scott MBE & Neil Jones.

Joining them are Emma Barton & Anton Du Beke, Viscountess Emma Weymouth & Aljaž Škorjanec and Anneka Rice & Kevin Clifton.

Also on this year’s line up are James Cracknell OBE & Luba Mushtuk, Karim Zeroual & Amy Dowden, Chris Ramsey & Karen Clifton and David James & Nadiya Bychkova.

And completing the cast are Will Bayley MBE & Janette Manrara, Mike Bushell & Katya Jones, Dev Griffin & Dianne Buswell and Kelvin Fletcher & Oti Mabuse.

But who will lift the glitterball come December?

Strictly Come Dancing 2019’s live shows begin Saturday, September 21.

The results shows are expected to return on Saturday nights, featuring the weekly eliminations plus group dances from the pros and musical performances.