Former soccer player Shaun Wright-Phillips faces another high-stakes elimination threat on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing as the remaining celebrity contestants prepare for Icons Week. Following two consecutive weeks of narrowly avoiding an exit, Wright-Phillips and his professional dance partner, Alexis Warr, are gearing up to perform a Couple’s Choice routine to a high-energy James Brown medley.
The former England international has defied initial bookmaker expectations throughout the 2026 series. While pundits initially tipped him as an early departure, he survived the opening week when hairdresser Chris Appleton and professional partner Amy Dowden were voted off. However, last week saw Wright-Phillips land at the bottom of the leaderboard after performing a Quickstep to “I’m a Believer.”
Struggles on the Leaderboard and Dance-Off Survival
During Week 3, Wright-Phillips struggled to impress the judging panel, finishing last with a total score of 15 points. Judges Craig Revel Horwood and Shirley Ballas each awarded him three points, while Motsi Mabuse gave him four, and Anton Du Beke offered a five.
The low score pushed him into the dreaded dance-off alongside actress Melanie Walters and her partner Aljaž Škorjanec. The judging panel ultimately chose to save Wright-Phillips, granting him another week in the competition. Speaking on BBC’s It Takes Two, professional partner Alexis Warr revealed the emotional toll the experience took on the former athlete.
“After he did it, he got emotional. We went backstage, and he started getting all teared up,” Warr told presenter Ellie Taylor.
Reflecting on the intense moment, Wright-Phillips added, “I performed it; she was over the moon about it, so that made me even happier. It honestly felt like I was climbing Mount Everest or something.”
Predictions and Odds for Icons Week
As the couples prepare to transform into music legends like David Bowie, Adele, and Elton John for Icons Week, industry experts predict Wright-Phillips will once again fight for survival. Former professional dancer James Jordan, who spent eight years on the BBC show, shared his blunt assessment with Reach Plc via WhichBingo:
“It’s got to be Shaun, Shaun will be one. Ultimately Shaun will be packing his bags, unless he gets a Charleston or something like that and pulls out a fantastic performance, but I just can’t see it.”
Betting markets reflect similar expectations. Bookmaker Betway currently lists Wright-Phillips as the favourite to be eliminated at 5/6 odds. However, bookmaker representative Lewis Knowles noted that his repeated escapes have kept everyone guessing. Sarah Storey, paired with Julian Caillon, stands as the second favourite to leave at 15/8, meaning an upset could shift the danger zone.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday on BBC One at 6:15 pm, where viewers will cast their votes to determine who stays in the ballroom.
