Strictly Come Dancing fans have said they are 'devastated' after spotting a sad detail when Chris Appleton became the first contestant to be eliminated from the 2026 series. The celebrity hair stylist had been paired with professional dancer Amy Dowden for this year's run of the BBC One dance contest, which got underway last month.
However, their dances in the first two weeks of the show failed to impress the judges, who then sent them home. The pair left the competition following a Movie Week dance-off against actress Jaime Winstone and her partner Carlos Gu during Sunday's (October 4) results show.
How the elimination was decided
This week's judges' scores were added to those from last week's first live show, when there was no public vote, and were then combined with the results of Saturday night's (October 3) public vote to decide the two lowest-scoring couples who would face the dance-off.
Both couples performed their routines again, with Chris and Amy doing a cha cha to I'll Be Ready from Baywatch before Jaime and Carlos did the same dance but to Oh, Pretty Woman from Pretty Woman. When it came to choosing who to save, judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all chose to save Jaime and Carlos, who won last year's season of Strictly with former footballer Karen Carney. Craig Revel Horwood – who was the judge with the deciding vote this week – said that he would have also saved the same couple as the rest of the judges if he had needed to vote.
Fans react to Amy's exit
Reacting to the exit, Strictly fans expressed their upset for Amy, as it meant she has left the competition first two years in a row. @eastieariana786 cried: "AMY NOOOO #Strictly." @geminiphiI commented: "I feel so bad for Amy." @RyanSoapKing25 shared: "Amy has left Strictly in last place for 2 years running I am devastated."
@dianeisblonde posted: "It's a shame for Amy, though. Give her someone with a fighting chance next year! Surprised to see Jaime in the dance off though!" @LeahXBarnes wrote: "Feel for amy out same time again that's why I said she deserves better partner that will get her far but they gave her someone that wasn't going to so annoying JUSTICE FOR AMY." @slinehan1 added: "So sad for Chris, I felt there were some worse couples than him and Amy. Melanie and Aljaz especially had a lucky escape. I can't believe Amy's gone out first two years in a row."
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday, October 10, at 6.15pm on BBC One.
