Shaun Wright-Phillips has sent a message to fans after he and professional dance partner Alexis Warr finished at the bottom of Strictly Come Dancing's latest leaderboard.
It was week three of the BBC One dance competition as the latest live show aired on Saturday night (October 10). Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola opened the show with a samba, followed by a waltz from Will Best and Dianne Buswell, with the two couples scoring 26 and 25 respectively for their routines.
Mixed judging panel reviews
The former footballer and pro dancer Alexis were the third couple to take to the ballroom floor, receiving mixed reviews from the judging panel. Craig Revel Horwood said the routine was "everything a quickstep shouldn't be".
Craig and Shirley Ballas each scored the couple three, before Shaun and Alexis landed a total score of 15 out of a possible 40.
Shaun's Instagram response
On Sunday (October 11), ahead of the second results show of Strictly's 2026 series, Shaun took to Instagram to reflect on the evening. He said: "Learning and enjoying every moment. I won't lie, this week's routine was a tough one to learn, but as always, I gave it my best."
The former sports star, who played for Man City from 1999 to 2005, added alongside pictures from his and Alexis' third-ever Strictly performance together: "The smile on my face says it all." He was quickly flooded with support.
@kurtcharleton said: "Keep your head up @shaunwp98, you tried your best and most important thing. Obviously, there are still big improvements needed, but with the incredible @alexis_warr teaching and supporting you, I have no doubt that they will happen." @strictlyali commented: "Smashed it… soooooo proud." @kaaa.tie645 added: "Quickstep is a tough one for first ballroom. Everyone can tell you are trying Shaun. We love Team Hobbits."
Family support
It comes after sporting legend Ian Wright was seen showing up to his son's rehearsals ahead of his latest performance, and was heard saying he was "very proud" of Shaun, who he adopted when he was three years old when he was the boyfriend of Shaun's mother, Sharon Phillips.
