Katya Jones clears up Strictly moment after viewers thought she called Lawrence Robb “fit”

Katya Jones has finally cleared up the Strictly Come Dancing moment that left viewers debating one very short word.

The professional dancer was caught on camera appearing to mouth something to fellow pro Aleksandra Isaeva after Lawrence Robb completed his first routine of the 2026 series. Many viewers were convinced she had said “fit”.

But according to Katya herself, that was not what she said. Her former celebrity partner Ed Balls revealed on Good Morning Britain that the dancer had contacted him directly to explain that her actual word was “fierce”.

The Strictly moment that started the speculation

The exchange happened during Saturday night’s live show, when Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb took to the dancefloor with professional partner Jowita Przystał.

The 34-year-old actor performed a sultry Paso Doble and received 20 points from the judges.

As the applause followed, cameras turned towards the professionals, where Katya, 37, appeared to say a single word to Aleksandra Isaeva.

Viewers watching at home immediately began trying to work out what she had said, with many believing the word was “fit”.

The speculation quickly spread across social media. One viewer joked about Katya mouthing “fit” after Lawrence’s dance, while another asked whether she had really just made the comment.

The moment was particularly noticeable because Lawrence’s routine had already attracted plenty of attention as one of the performances in the opening live show.

Ed Balls initially believed she said “fit”

The mystery appeared to have been settled on Monday’s Good Morning Britain.

Ed Balls, who was partnered with Katya on Strictly in 2016, was asked about the clip and said he thought it was clear that she had described Lawrence as “fit”.

He even repeated the word on air, prompting presenter Susanna Reid to respond: “There we go! It’s confirmed!”

However, Ed returned to the subject on Tuesday after Katya got in touch with him.

Explaining the update on the programme, he said he had initially believed she had said “he’s fit”, but admitted that Katya had sent him a WhatsApp message correcting him.

Her explanation was simple: “I said fierce.”

That changed the story, although Ed admitted he was still not completely convinced by his former dance partner’s explanation.

“In my heart of hearts I still kind of think that,” he said, before adding that Katya had always been truthful with him.

“Katya’s always told me the unvarnished truth, so it must be true,” he concluded.

The exchange left Susanna Reid and entertainment correspondent Richard Arnold equally willing to accept either interpretation, with both joking that they would “take either”.

The clarification has also been reported by other outlets covering the Strictly moment.

Lawrence Robb’s girlfriend appeared to weigh in

Lawrence’s girlfriend Pamela Blair also appeared to lend support to Katya’s explanation.

Following the performance, Blair shared a photograph of the actor during his routine and captioned it: “So fierce.”

The post came as social media users continued to discuss whether Katya had said “fit” or “fierce” after Lawrence’s performance.

Blair’s response added another playful layer to an otherwise fleeting moment from the live show.

Katya and Ed Balls have remained close since Strictly

The latest exchange also offered a reminder of the friendship Katya and Ed have maintained since they were paired together on Strictly in 2016.

Their partnership became one of the most memorable of that series, particularly for their energetic salsa routine to Psy’s “Gangnam Style”.

Katya has now been part of Strictly for 10 years and remains one of the show’s established professional dancers.

She is competing in the 2026 series with YouTuber and football content creator John Nellis. The pair made a strong start to the competition during the first live show, scoring 31 points for their foxtrot to Alex Warren’s “Ordinary”. That put them at the top of the leaderboard after the opening weekend.

Katya’s impressive Strictly record

Away from the latest viral moment, Katya brings a considerable competitive background to the dancefloor.

She is a three-time World and nine-time National Latin American champion and has been a professional dancer on Strictly for a decade.

Her career on the programme has included her 2016 partnership with Ed Balls, while she later won the Glitterball Trophy with actor Joe McFadden in 2017. She also made Strictly history in 2020 when she partnered with Nicola Adams in the show’s first same-sex pairing.

This year, her partnership with John Nellis has already produced one of the strongest opening performances of the competition.

Nellis previously described the experience as surreal, saying he repeatedly found himself laughing in disbelief at the scale of what he was taking part in. He also admitted to feeling nervous while being “ridiculously excited” about the opportunity.

His first live performance suggested the nerves had not stopped the pair from making an immediate impact, with their 31-point score placing them ahead of the rest of the field after week one.

A new era for Strictly in 2026

The latest series of Strictly has arrived with several significant changes.

Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe have taken over presenting duties from Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, giving the programme a new three-presenter format.

There have also been changes among the professional dancers, with five new pros joining the cast for 2026. Returning dancers include Katya Jones, Jowita Przystał, Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Vito Coppola.

The opening live show featured all 15 celebrity-professional couples, with John Nellis and Katya Jones finishing on 31 points. Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystał scored 20 for their Paso Doble. There was no elimination during the first live show, with the competition continuing into the following week.

The “fit” debate may finally be over

For all the attention surrounding Lawrence Robb’s debut, Katya’s explanation has now given viewers a clear answer from the person at the centre of the speculation.

Ed Balls may still have his doubts, but he ultimately accepted Katya’s account that the word she mouthed was “fierce”.

Whether viewers believe they saw “fit” or “fierce”, the brief exchange has become one of the more talked-about moments from the opening Strictly live show.

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.