The first celebrity will be eliminated from Strictly this week - who is favourite to be the fist to go?
The first celebrity will leave Strictly Come Dancing 2026 this weekend. After a launch week with no public vote, the phone lines (online votes, in fact) open for the first time at the end of Movie Week on Saturday 3 October. The first couple goes home in the results show on Sunday 4 October.
Week 1 scores carry over, so the three couples who finished joint bottom on 15 start Movie Week behind. They are Shaun Wright-Phillips, Dame Sarah Storey and Melanie Walters, and the betting has two of them at the head of the market. Wright-Phillips is the favourite to be the first celebrity eliminated.
Strictly Come Dancing Elimination Odds
Who's Favourite for the Strictly Come Dancing First Elimination?
| Selection | Best odds | Best at | Worst odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaun Wright-Phillips | 10/11 | Ladbrokes, Coral, Sky Bet, Paddy Power | 17/20 |
| Sarah Storey | 9/4 | Star Sports | 15/8 |
| Melanie Walters | 6/1 | Star Sports, Sky Bet, Paddy Power | 5/1 |
| Chris Appleton | 7/1 | Ladbrokes, Coral | 11/2 |
| Jaime Winstone | 20/1 | Ladbrokes, Coral | 17/1 |
| Will Best | 40/1 | Ladbrokes, Star Sports, Coral, Sky Bet, Paddy Power | 40/1 |
| Graeme Hall | 50/1 | Ladbrokes, Star Sports, Coral, Sky Bet, Paddy Power | 50/1 |
| Cach Mercer | 50/1 | Ladbrokes, Star Sports, Coral | 40/1 |
| Tabby Stoecker | 66/1 | Star Sports | 35/1 |
| Bethany Antonia | 66/1 | Star Sports | 50/1 |
| Lawrence Robb | 80/1 | Star Sports, Sky Bet | 40/1 |
| Dani Dyer | 100/1 | Ladbrokes, Star Sports, Coral, Sky Bet | 90/1 |
| John Nellis | 150/1 | Star Sports | 100/1 |
| Delta Goodrem | 150/1 | Star Sports | 100/1 |
| Lacey Turner | 200/1 | Star Sports | 100/1 |
Former England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips is the odds-on favourite at 10/11, which implies a chance of about 52%. Sky Bet and Paddy Power both cut him from 5/4 to 10/11 shortly after 10am this morning. He also tops Oddschecker's Most Popular Bets list. His cha cha with Alexis Warr scored 15, including a 2 from Craig Revel Horwood, who told him: "I think it's going to be a few more weeks before you reach pro level." In Movie Week he dances the salsa to "You Should Be Dancing" from Saturday Night Fever.
Dame Sarah Storey is the second favourite at 9/4. Her quickstep with Julian Caillon also scored 15, and she's second in Most Popular Bets. Her Movie Week routine hasn't been announced yet.
Strictly Elimination Odds: The Rest of the Bottom Group
Melanie Walters completes the trio on 15, but she has drifted to a best price of 6/1. Sky Bet and Paddy Power both pushed her out from 5/1 this morning. Craig called her cha cha with Aljaž Škorjanec "stompy and flat-footed", and this week she dances a waltz to "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.
Chris Appleton is fourth favourite at 7/1 after scoring 16 for his tango with Amy Dowden. Next up is a cha cha to "I'm Always Here" from Baywatch. Jaime Winstone has been backed into 17/1 at Paddy Power from 22/1, despite a Week 1 score of 21.
At the other end, John Nellis topped the Week 1 leaderboard with 31 for his foxtrot with Katya Jones, and Delta Goodrem was second on 29. Lacey Turner was third on 27 and is a best price of 200/1, though she's appeared in Most Popular Bets after arriving at rehearsals with bandaged feet.
When is the First Strictly Elimination?
The Movie Week live show is on Saturday 3 October from 6:15pm to 8:50pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The results show follows on Sunday 4 October at 7:10pm on BBC One.
Week 1 and Week 2 judges' scores are added together and ranked, and that ranking is combined 50:50 with the public vote. The bottom two couples then dance off, and the judges decide who stays. From Week 3, only that week's scores count. Voting is online and needs a BBC account.
Strictly Come Dancing Winner Odds
- Lacey Turner (5/2) – The EastEnders star has been a frontrunner since the market opened and has now shortened further despite finishing third on the opening leaderboard. She scored 30 points with Vito Coppola, with the judges particularly praising her performance, giving her a strong platform to build on. Her established TV profile should also make her a natural candidate for public support.
- John Nellis (7/2) – Nellis is arguably the biggest market mover. The football content creator was 10/1 before the first live show but topped the opening leaderboard with 31 points, partnering Katya Jones. That performance prompted bookmakers to slash his odds, with William Hill cutting him from 11/1 to 3/1. His combination of a strong first impression and a high-profile professional partner explains why he is now right at the head of the market.
- Dani Dyer (6/1) – Dyer came into the series with plenty of hype having originally been due to compete in 2025 before a fractured ankle forced her withdrawal. She is now paired with Nikita Kuzmin, who has reached the final twice, and had already been among the market leaders before the live shows began. Her reality-TV profile and previous Strictly interest make her an obvious public-vote candidate if her dancing continues to develop.
- Delta Goodrem (6/1) – Goodrem immediately demonstrated why she was prominent in the pre-series betting, finishing second on the opening leaderboard with 29 points after a samba with Kai Widdrington. The Australian singer has extensive experience performing on stage and television, while her pairing with the experienced Widdrington gives her a strong professional partnership. She also brings a substantial existing fanbase, having sold more than nine million albums worldwide.
