Strictly Halloween Special Introduces First-Ever Triple Dance-Off
Strictly Come Dancing will stage its first triple dance-off during the Halloween special, with three couples at risk.
Strictly Come Dancing will feature its first-ever triple dance-off during next week's Halloween special. The historic format change puts three couples at immediate risk of elimination from the competition.
Next week's Halloween episode will see the three couples with the lowest combined judges' scores and public votes performing again in a triple dance-off. The judges will then decide which one of the three pairs is sent home. The BBC confirmed this twist is only for the Halloween results show, with the regular two-couple dance-off format resuming afterward.
Elimination Stakes and Voting Results
The three lowest-scoring couples will face the unprecedented dance-off, where the judges' votes alone determine who remains. This week, the dance-off involved just two couples, but it still delivered a dramatic exit.
Judges Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse voted to save actors Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu. Head judge Shirley Ballas voted to save former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and his partner Alexis Warr. This left Anton Du Beke with the deciding vote. He chose to save Jaime and Carlos, eliminating Shaun and Alexis from the competition.
Winstone and Gu had found themselves in the bottom two despite scoring 25 for their foxtrot to “Man I Need” by Olivia Dean on Saturday. They reprised that routine in the dance-off. Wright-Phillips and Warr performed their jive to “Faith” by Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande again, a dance that had originally scored them 17 points.
Fourth Couple Eliminated
Shaun Wright-Phillips, 45, and professional dancer Alexis Warr, 26, became the fourth couple to leave the 2026 series. They were defeated in the dance-off by Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu.
After the elimination, Shaun Wright-Phillips described his time on the show as an amazing journey. Professional partner Alexis Warr praised his resilience and called him a gentleman, saying she felt honoured to be his partner.
Leaderboard Highlights and Returns
The Saturday show saw notable performances at the top of the leaderboard. Winter Olympic champion Tabby Stoecker and her partner Mark Karmalita secured the highest score of the series so far, earning 37 points for their Couple's Choice dance. Australian singer Delta Goodrem returned to competition after a rib injury, dancing the Rumba with Kai Widdrington to score 34 points. Her performance included the series' first perfect 10 from a judge.
There are now 11 couples remaining. The Strictly Come Dancing Halloween special will air next Saturday, 31 October 2026, at 6:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The results show, featuring the triple dance-off, follows on Sunday at 7:10pm. All episodes of the current series are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
