Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton became the first celebrity eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2026 after losing the dance off against Jaime Winstone. The 43-year-old, who has worked with Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez, was near the bottom of the leaderboard with a score of 33 after two weeks of dancing.
Emotional exit for Chris and Amy
Both Chris and his professional partner Amy Dowden were tearful after receiving the boot. In the dance off, Chris and Amy performed their Cha Cha to I'll Be Ready from Baywatch, while Jaime and Carlos Gu performed their Cha Cha to Oh, Pretty Woman from Pretty Woman.
The judges voted unanimously to save Jaime, meaning she will return next weekend. Chris had said earlier in the weekend he did not want to let his partner Amy down, adding: "I am really trying but also really enjoying it."
Low scores and a second early exit for Amy
His Cha Cha managed just 17 points from the judges, and in week one he scored just 15, among the lowest in the competition. The news means a second year of bad luck for Amy Dowden, who was also eliminated first last season after being paired with The Apprentice contestant and businessman Thomas Skinner.
Dowden said she was "heartbroken" to leave the competition. Chris said he felt bad he had not made it further but had a "friend for life" in Amy.
Movie week ratings
On Saturday night, Strictly Come Dancing's movie week episode saw a peak of 5.6 million viewers. Over the two-and-a-half hour programme, the 15 celebrities and their professional partners performed routines inspired by movies including Titanic, Risky Business, Mary Poppins and Saturday Night Fever.
Delta Goodrem was called a "force to be reckoned with" after topping the leaderboard with 59 points from the first two weeks. A Strictly spokesperson said: "Strictly's movie week was the most watched programme of the night, with a peak of 5.6 million viewers. As ever, overnight ratings do not give the full picture of all those who watch in an on-demand world."
This week's episode aired at the same time as the Croatia v England match on ITV. It had an average of 5.1 million viewers with a 44.3% share, a rise on last week's overnight figures. The first live show of the season attracted a peak of five million, with an average of 4.8 million tuning in, and has since been watched by more than six million viewers.
