Strictly's first casualty: celebrity hairdresser Chris Appleton voted off after dance-off defeat
In a result that will surprise few who witnessed Saturday night's lacklustre performances, celebrity hairdresser Chris Appleton became the first star to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2026, losing a tense dance-off to actress Jaime Winstone in front of the nation.
The 43-year-old stylist, whose client list reads like a who's who of Hollywood royalty including Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande, found his glitterball dreams dashed after judges Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke voted unanimously to save his rival.
How did the dance-off unfold?
Appleton and his professional partner Amy Dowden, 36, faced Winstone and Carlos Gu, 33, after both couples finished at the bottom of the combined leaderboard. The hairdresser's Baywatch-inspired cha cha to I'll Be Ready, performed in ab-baring lifeguard attire, failed to convince the panel despite his evident enthusiasm.
Winstone, 41, and Gu recreated their stylish Pretty Woman routine, which proved far more palatable to the judges' discerning eyes. Craig Revel Horwood, who held the deciding vote this week, confirmed he too would have saved the actress had his vote been required.
Why was Appleton's exit unsurprising?
The writing was arguably on the wall from the opening weekend, when Appleton and Dowden scored a meagre 16 points for their tango. Their combined total of 33 points left them perilously close to the bottom of the pile, with only Gavin & Stacey actress Melanie Walters and Aljaž Škorjanec below them on 30.
Walters, who has now scored 15 for the second consecutive week, appeared remarkably sanguine about her predicament. 'We choreographed the mistakes in,' Škorjanec joked. 'I'm glad the judges spotted them!'
Who leads the competition?
At the other end of the spectrum, Australian singer Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington topped the leaderboard with an impressive 59 points, their A Star is Born American Smooth earning lavish praise from the panel. Shirley Ballas declared the former Neighbours star 'a force to be reckoned with', while Motsi insisted she had 'everything it takes'.
Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola, alongside Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley, sit joint second on 55 points, while John Nellis and Katya Jones disappointed with a 'too heavy-footed' Titanic-themed routine that earned just 23 points.
What about the new presenting team?
Movie Week, unusually moved forward to week three, marked the second live outing for new presenters Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe. The trio have faced considerable online criticism since their debut, with comedian Widdicombe particularly targeted by trolls who branded him a 'spare part'.
While Radebe has been praised for settling into his role with flair and humour, viewers remain unconvinced about the overall dynamic. Some expressed irritation that Willis spent much of the evening 'standing there' while Widdicombe cracked jokes, describing her as a mere 'sidekick'.
Defenders of the shake-up, including professional dancer Lauren Oakley, have rallied round. Writing on Instagram, she insisted: 'Strictly is about family, uplifting others, and creating a safe space for celebrity contestants to be vulnerable and do something so outside of their comfort zone.' Widdicombe, who has not directly responded to criticism, reposted her message with love hearts.
What happens next?
Fourteen couples remain and will return to the rehearsal room bright and early tomorrow morning before another nail-biting elimination next Sunday. The show continues next Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
One suspects that for Appleton, whose glitterball journey ended before it truly began, the consolation of returning to his Hollywood clientele may soften the blow. For the remaining couples, however, the competition is only just heating up.