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Strictly Come Dancing has eliminated its first contestant from the 2026 series: celebrity hair stylist Chris Appleton.
After a week without any public voting, everything changed on Saturday night (3 October) when viewers at home were allowed to pick up their phones and cast their votes for the first time this year.
After the scores were tallied, it was announced that Appleton and his partner Amy Dowden would face Kidulthood actor Jaime Winstone and her partner Carlos Gu in the dreaded dance-off.
Appleton and his partner performed their Cha Cha to “I’ll Be Ready” from Baywatch, while Winstone and Gu repeated their Cha Cha to Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” from Pretty Woman. The judges ultimately opted to save Winstone and keep him in the competition.
Head judge Shirley Ballas and judges Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all voted to save Winstone and Gu, meaning Craig Revel Horwood did not need to use his casting vote. However, he said he would have voted the same way when asked by hosts Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe.
Sunday night’s results show also featured a Devil Wears Prada routine from the Strictly professionals – featuring Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood – plus a special performance from Matilda The Musical, with the four young performers who play Matilda taking to the stage to sing “Quiet” alongside composer Tim Minchin.
The elimination marks the second year that professional Amy Dowden has been in the first couple to leave the dance competition, after her divisive celebrity partner Thomas Skinner was voted off the show in 2025.
Appleton, 43, is used to working behind-the-scenes on the biggest stars’ barnets, with the Brit styling the likes of Britney Spears, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande and others. He recently make the New York Times Best Seller list with his memoir, Your Roots Don’t Define You.
Ahead of his elimination, the hair stylist had said he was “thrilled” to join the Strictly Come Dancing line up. His addition also triggered rumours that Kardashian could be in the audience for his first performance. However, the reality star did not materialise.
Next week, the remaining fourteen couples will take to the dance floor to fight to keep their place in the competition.
Strictly returns at 6:15pm on Saturday, 10 October on BBC One
