Dame Sarah Storey, 48, and her dance partner Julian Caillon became the third couple to leave Strictly Come Dancing 2026 during Sunday night’s results show, following a tense dance-off against House of the Dragon’s Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu.
Elimination Realities on the Dancefloor
- Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon exited the competition after placing at the bottom of the leaderboard with 21 points for their Shania Twain-backed Tango.
- Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu survived the Sunday night dance-off after three judges voted to save them.
- Head judge Shirley Ballas confirmed she would have also saved Antonia and Xu, leaving head judge input unused alongside viewer votes that rescued Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin.
Leaderboard Extremes and Dance-Off Fates
Storey and Caillon landed at the bottom of the table with 21 points after dancing a Tango to Shania Twain’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much”. Just above them, Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin secured 25 points for their Rumba, which proved enough to earn safety through the public vote. Meanwhile, Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu sat third from the bottom with 27 points following a Cha-Cha-Cha set to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”, pushing both pairs into the vulnerable elimination spots.
Dame Sarah Storey Eliminated From Strictly Come Dancing 2026https://t.co/ytcPVyCNGU#SCD #Strictly #StrictlyComeDancing #StrictlySpoiler pic.twitter.com/PhCm6FtJ6v
When the dust settled on Sunday night, judges Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse unanimously opted to save Antonia and Xu. That decisive majority allowed head judge Shirley Ballas to bypass casting a decision, though she noted on air that her preference aligned with her colleagues. The departure leaves 12 couples in contention for the final trophy as the BBC One competition prepares for its upcoming weekend schedule.
Professional Tributes and Upcoming Returns
Amidst the exit drama, Sunday’s broadcast featured professional dancers of Strictly delivering a tribute to Madonna, with dancers recreating the fashions of a number of her iconic music videos from over the years, including “Hung Up” and “Vogue”. A separate segment honored the late Dolly Parton, who passed away in August, featuring singer Belles performing “Jolene” alongside an accompaniment by professional dancers Amy Dowden and Kai Widdrington.
Singer Delta Goodrem missed the latest episode due to a rib injury, telling her Instagram followers that she felt “gutted” about the absence. Goodrem indicated an intention to be “back on that dancefloor very soon”.
| Couple | Saturday Dance | Music Track | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dame Sarah Storey & Julian Caillon | Tango | “That Don’t Impress Me Much” – Shania Twain | 21 | Eliminated |
| Dani Dyer & Nikita Kuzmin | Rumba | Various | 25 | Saved by Viewer Vote |
| Bethany Antonia & Nancy Xu | Cha-Cha-Cha | “Respect” – Aretha Franklin | 27 | Saved in Dance-Off |
High Scorers Set the Pace
At the opposite end of the weekend scoring, the top spot on the leaderboard saw a tie between two distinct performances. Cach Mercer earned praise from the judging panel by executing a Foxtrot to Frank Sinatra, while Jaime Winstone delivered a dramatic, David Bowie-themed Paso Doble.
With Delta Goodrem’s return status pending, the remaining 12 pairs must regroup ahead of the next live show. Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One next Saturday at 6.30pm.
