Yes. Former England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips and his professional partner Alexis Warr were eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2026 on Sunday 25 October, after losing a dance-off to actor Jaime Winstone and her partner Carlos Gu. He became the fourth celebrity to leave the series, and it happened on his 45th birthday.
That one-line answer is the easy part. Plenty of viewers also want to know how the vote split, why the head judge ended up on the losing side, and whether the exit was a surprise. Here is what the reporting actually shows.
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Shaun Wright-Phillips and professional partner Alexis Warr were eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2026 on 25 October.
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They lost the dance-off to Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu after Anton Du Beke cast the deciding vote.
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Wright-Phillips scored 17 points for his final jive to “Faith” by Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande.
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He faced his second dance-off in three weeks after previously surviving against Melanie Walters.
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His elimination came on his 45th birthday, with 11 couples remaining in the competition.
Key Facts At a Glance
| Question | Answer |
| Was Shaun Wright-Phillips eliminated? | Yes |
| When? | Sunday, 25 October 2026, as shown in the results |
| Professional partner | Alexis Warr |
| Elimination order | Fourth celebrity to leave out of the original 15 contestants |
| Who beat him in the dance-off? | Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu |
| Final live score | 17 points for a jive to “Faith” by Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande |
| Couples remaining | 11 |
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What Happened In The Dance-off
Wright-Phillips and Warr finished bottom of the judges’ leaderboard on Saturday night. Once the public vote was added, they landed in the bottom two alongside Winstone and Gu, who had scored 25 for a foxtrot to Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need”. Both couples then repeated their routines: the jive for Wright-Phillips and Warr, the foxtrot for Winstone and Gu.
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The panel split. Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse voted to save Winstone and Gu. Head judge Shirley Ballas backed Wright-Phillips and Warr. That left Anton Du Beke with the deciding vote, and he went with Winstone and Gu.
A small detail worth knowing: since last year the casting vote has rotated between the four judges instead of sitting automatically with the head judge. This week it landed with Du Beke.
How His Run Unfolded
His scores never suggested a contender, but they did show a dancer improving as the weeks went on. The figures below are the judges’ totals as listed in published results.
| Week | Dance | Score |
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha | 15 |
| 2 (Movie Week) | Salsa | 25 |
| 3 | Quickstep to “I’m a Believer” | 15 |
| 4 (Icons Week) | Couple’s Choice | 28 |
| 5 | Jive | 17 |
Two moments stand out. In week one he was joint bottom on 15 with Dame Sarah Storey and Melanie Walters. Then in week three, after a second 15, he went into a dance-off against Walters and survived it: Ballas, Du Beke and Revel Horwood saved him, while Mabuse voted for Walters. Walters and her partner Aljaž Škorjanec left that night.
So this was his second dance-off in three weeks, and the first one he lost.
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Was The Exit a Surprise?
Not really. Bookmakers had made him the favourite to go for much of the series. Even on the Friday before the elimination, Oddschecker’s round-up of the market had him as the 8/11 favourite to be the next celebrity out, which implies roughly a 58 per cent chance. Early in the run Revel Horwood had told him it would be a few more weeks before he reached “pro level”, a comment that aged fairly well.
What did draw attention was the judges’ vote rather than the result. Ballas voting to save him, only to be outvoted, prompted debate among viewers online, with some expressing sympathy for Winstone, who had scored well on Saturday and still found herself in danger.
One reported line from the show: Revel Horwood called the final jive “a disaster”. That is a fair reflection of the 17.
His Reaction
On Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two the next day, Monday 26 October, Wright-Phillips admitted he had sensed it coming. Asked about being in the bottom two, he said he “kind of knew”. Warr was visibly tearful while watching a montage of their time together. He thanked her for taking him to a standard he never expected to reach, and spoke warmly about the dancers and backstage team who had made him feel comfortable.
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Earlier in the series he had described how the judges’ notes reminded him of football. Having been criticised since he was 13, he said, he had learned to treat feedback as information rather than insult.
Who is Shaun Wright-Phillips?
Born on 25 October 1981, Wright-Phillips played for Chelsea, Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers and won 36 England caps. He is the adopted son of former England striker Ian Wright. He moved into punditry after retiring and was announced as the tenth celebrity in the 2026 line-up. Karen Carney, the most recent series winner, was among those who offered him advice before his debut.
What Happens Next
Eleven couples remain from the starting field of 15. The BBC has confirmed that the Halloween episode, airing on BBC One at 6.30pm on Saturday 31 October, will feature the first triple dance-off in the show’s history. The three couples with the lowest combined judges’ and public scores will dance again, and the judges will decide who leaves. The BBC said the twist applies to that episode only, with a two-couple dance-off returning the following week.
All episodes are available on BBC iPlayer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did Shaun Wright-Phillips get eliminated from Strictly 2026?
Yes. He and Alexis Warr left in the results show on Sunday 25 October 2026 after losing a dance-off to Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu.
Who voted to save him?
Shirley Ballas. Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse voted to save Winstone and Gu, and Anton Du Beke’s casting vote settled it.
What was his last score?
17, for a jive to “Faith” by Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande. It left him bottom of the leaderboard.
How many celebrities have left Strictly 2026?
Four. Chris Appleton was the first to go, Melanie Walters the second, and Wright-Phillips the fourth. Eleven couples remain.
Was it his birthday?
Yes. He was born on 25 October 1981, so he turned 45 on the day he was eliminated.
Sources & References
- IBTimes UK: “Strictly’s Shirley Ballas Sparks Fury as She Saves Shaun Wright-Phillips in Shock Dance-off Twist”
- TV Guide: Shaun Wright-Phillips on It Takes Two (“knew” he would face the dance-off)
- Brit Brief: “Strictly’s Alexis Warr in tears after Shaun Wright-Phillips axe”
- Oddschecker: “Strictly Elimination Odds: Shaun Wright-Phillips Favourite to Go”
