House of the Dragon star Bethany Antonia earned 26 points and high praise from judge Craig Revel Horwood during the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 live show on Saturday, September 26, performing a joyful quickstep to Celeste’s “Stop This Flame” alongside professional partner Nancy Xu.
The Bottom Line
- The Performance: Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu scored 26 points with a quickstep to Celeste’s “Stop This Flame” on the BBC One series.
- The Judges’ Reaction: Anton Du Beke called the routine “super duper,” while Craig Revel Horwood declared it “the first bit of good dancing we’ve seen all night!”
- The Partnership: Antonia and Xu mark the third all-female same-sex pairing in the show’s history, following Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer in 2022.
A Standout Quickstep on the BBC Ballroom Floor
Stepping away from the treacherous politics of Westeros, House of the Dragon actress Bethany Antonia made a triumphant debut on the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom floor. Performing a high-energy quickstep to Celeste’s track “Stop This Flame” alongside professional partner Nancy Xu, the pair climbed high up on the leaderboard during the live broadcast on Saturday, September 26.
The routine immediately caught the attention of the judges panel. Anton Du Beke led the critique by describing the dance as “super duper,” setting the stage for Craig Revel Horwood to deliver one of his trademark declarations. Usually known for his strict scoring and sharp critiques, Horwood surprised the audience by shouting, “That’s the first bit of good dancing we’ve seen all night!” Before he could add his usual heavier criticism, he quickly passed the microphone to Motsi Mabuse, who entirely agreed with the positive sentiment.
Overwhelmed by the Ballroom Experience
Reflecting on the moment, Antonia shared her disbelief with the audience, stating, “I felt like I’ve won a competition to be on Strictly Come Dancing.”
For Antonia, competing on the BBC flagship entertainment show represents a personal milestone, particularly given her partnership with Nancy Xu. The pairing makes them the third all-female same-sex couple in the history of Strictly Come Dancing, following previous pairings such as Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer in 2022. In an exclusive interview with Radio Times, Antonia described the opportunity as “the biggest privilege in the world.”
Carrying Forward the Same-Sex Partnership Legacy
Antonia pointed to the show’s past milestones as a driving inspiration for her own journey on the dance floor. Specifically, she noted that watching Nicola Adams and Katya Jones compete together in 2020 left a lasting impression on her perspective of representation on mainstream television.
| Strictly Milestone | Details | Reference Year |
|---|---|---|
| First Same-Sex Pairing | Nicola Adams and Katya Jones | 2020 |
| Subsequent Same-Sex Pairing | Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer | 2022 |
| Latest Same-Sex Pairing | Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu | 2026 |
“It was a huge part of watching people in my family accept this beautiful show that we’d watched for years and years and years, and see this new way of the girls doing it together, and then being so accepting and exciting about it made me feel proud,” Antonia explained to Radio Times.
The actress added that she had previously decided that if she were ever fortunate enough to compete on the program, “it has to be with a woman.” Having talked the aspiration into existence, Antonia noted that stepping onto the floor alongside Xu felt entirely surreal. Strictly Come Dancing continues its run on BBC One and iPlayer.
