Shaun Wright-Phillips is facing the threat of an early exit from Strictly Come Dancing, and his famous dad Ian Wright will be too nervous to watch it unfold. The former England and Manchester City winger is the name being tipped for an early departure after taking to the dancefloor with professional partner Alexis Warr.
Bookmakers have him as the rank outsider to win at 66/1 and clear favourite to get the boot when the eliminations start. Dani Dyer is favourite to win the title at 7/2.
Dad's nerves
Should Shaun find himself in trouble when the public vote gets under way, there is one person who may be unable to watch the drama unfold live. His dad Ian Wright is so emotionally invested in his son's performances that Shaun does not expect the Arsenal legend to watch him on Strictly in real time.
Shaun has revealed that Ian has always struggled to watch him play football live, and he believes the same will apply now he has swapped his boots for dancing shoes.
"I just know him - he might come to a show, but if anything, he will watch it the next morning because he gets too nervous," Shaun said. "He's been like that since we've been playing football, me and my brother. He tries not to watch live, he's too emotional! So, I'll try and get him to a show at some point."
A close bond
It is another insight into the close bond between the pair, which stretches back more than four decades. Ian adopted Shaun when he was three years old after forming a relationship with his mother, Sharon Phillips. Shaun grew up with Ian as his father and later followed him into professional football.
Shaun and his younger brother Bradley both became professional footballers, with the pair beginning their careers at Manchester City before eventually becoming team-mates again at New York Red Bulls.
Ian has remained one of the most important figures in Shaun's life, but Shaun has previously spoken about the emotional side of their relationship – particularly when it comes to watching him compete. That is why his father's reaction to the Strictly news was perhaps no surprise.
Laughter and tears
When Shaun told Ian he was joining the BBC show, his dad initially burst out laughing before telling him it would be good for him. But Shaun believes the nerves could prove too much for Ian when the live shows arrive.
"He never watches a lot of stuff that I've done in my life live," Shaun has explained. "Only a few times he's been to games, and only a few times he's watched it live. He's too emotionally attached, so he'll most probably like start crying, or if anybody says something, he's gonna have to say something, so he must probably watch it on a replay, knowing him."
That could mean Ian following his son's Strictly journey from a safe distance – particularly if Shaun ends up in the dance-off battle to avoid elimination.
Out of his comfort zone
Shaun, 44, has admitted that Strictly is well outside his comfort zone after swapping his football career for sequins, ballroom routines and a professional dance partner. He is paired with Alexis Warr, who reached the Strictly final last year alongside YouTuber George Clarke.
Shaun has already joked that learning the routines is not the only challenge, with the show's flamboyant wardrobe also taking some getting used to. "I'm quite a simple person when it comes to getting dressed and hanging out," he said. "I don't wear trousers over my belly button and I think a lot of the other male celebs have the same problem as me. Just so I stop moving them, they've had to put suspenders underneath my shirt to hold them up."
Despite the nerves, Shaun insists he is determined to throw himself into the experience. "It's cool and I'm not a dress-up person. But I'm fully embracing it, the sequins and all that," he said. "While I'm there, I'm going to embrace that moment."
And while early predictions have put the former Premier League star among those who could struggle to go deep into the competition, Shaun is taking a more relaxed approach. "We don't know how long we're gonna be here, so I'm gonna try and enjoy every last moment of it," he said.
