Strictly Come Dancing contestant Shaun Wright-Phillips has expressed his gratitude to voters after the judges chose to save him and his professional partner Alexis Warr in the dance-off, leading to the elimination of Gavin and Stacey star Melanie Walters.
The football pundit, who has spent much of the series near the bottom of the leaderboard, was praised by the panel for showing signs of improvement. During Saturday's show, Shaun and Alexis performed a Quickstep but finished at the foot of the leaderboard with just 15 points.
Judges' Decision
After the dance-off against Melanie, judge Craig Revel Horwood said: "Due to enthusiasm and technical ability, I'd like to save Shaun and Alexis." Shirley Ballas described it as "a difficult decision" but noted the pairing that "applied the criticism" was Shaun and Alexis. Anton Du Beke, who held the deciding vote, said he saw an "uplift in his performance".
Shaun's Response
Shaun took to Instagram to share his feelings after being saved. He wrote: "Just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for me and @alexis_warr. It was pretty nerve-wracking being in the bottom two, but the hard work has already started, learning a brand-new routine today and getting ready for Saturday."
He added: "As always, we take the judges' feedback on board, work hard and go again!" In an earlier post, he revealed how much he was enjoying the experience, writing: "Learning and enjoying every moment. The smile on my face says it all. I won't lie, this week's routine was a very tough one to learn, but as always, I gave it my very best."
His partner Alexis commented: "The journey isn't always easy, but that's what makes it worth it! One week at a time, one dance at a time. So proud of your determination Shauny boi! Let's keep going." Football manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink also offered support, saying: "You smashed the dance off! Keep going." Shaun replied: "Thanks Jim, was tough though."
Ian Wright's Cameo
Viewers were delighted to see Shaun's father, football legend Ian Wright, cheering him on during practice sessions. One fan called it "the best thing about Strictly tonight," while others urged producers to sign up the "national treasure" for a future series.
Ian became Shaun's adoptive father when Shaun was three, after starting a relationship with his mother, Sharon Phillips. The former Arsenal striker has always considered Shaun his son, and the pair share a close bond.
Shaun and Alexis have now progressed to Icons Week, while Melanie Walters reflected on her time on the show: "To tell you the truth, no word of a lie, I thought I was going to be out last week. So I've had an extra week with this beautiful soul [Aljaž Škorjanec]."
Aljaž told his partner: "Look, you're an ultimate professional in what you do. That's why you are so successful in what you do. You showed me what hard work really is and what hard work really means. We started every day with 'Partner, let's have the best day ever'. So I want to finish this for us with a hug, and thank you for every single bit in rehearsals and every single step on that floor."
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One on Saturday at 6.15pm.
