The glitterball was polished, the spray tans were set, and the nerves were jangling — but Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing delivered a tale of two halves. After a shaky opening act littered with wobbles and missed beats, the show roared back to life as Delta Goodrem and Olympian Tabby Stoecker claimed the first perfect scores of the series, while former Premier League star Shaun Wright-Phillips was left nursing a brutal “disastrous” verdict from Craig Revel Horwood and a bottom-place total of just 17.
A night of redemption on the ballroom floor
Delta Goodrem’s return from a rib injury that forced her to miss Icons Week was nothing short of cinematic. The Australian singer-songwriter floated through a rumba with the kind of liquid grace that makes the judges reach for their paddles early. Anton du Beke didn’t hesitate, flashing the first 10 of the 2026 series. Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse followed with 9 and 8 respectively, while Craig Revel Horwood — rarely one for early generosity — settled on a 7. The 34-point total planted her firmly at the summit, at least for a few minutes.
Then came Tabby Stoecker. The skeleton racer, paired with Mark Hanretty, chose a Couple’s Choice set to Olivia Rodrigo’s stupid song — a raw, contemporary piece that laid bare her journey through injury and doubt. There were no gimmicks, no prop-heavy staging. Just movement that felt like confession. The panel was unanimous in its praise. “You have done your father and yourself proud. I applaud you,” said Craig, visibly moved. Motsi Mabuse called it “exquisite.” Anton du Beke labelled it a “gold medal performance.” Two 10s, a 9 and an 8 delivered a 37-point haul and the outright lead.
“I swore I wouldn’t cry on Strictly but here we go,” Stoecker told Claudia Winkleman, wiping tears. “It was really vulnerable, it’s quite scary. I wanted to express that all of us can overcome anything that comes at us.”
The disaster at the bottom
If the top of the leaderboard was a masterclass in resilience, the basement was a case study in what happens when nerves hijack technique. Shaun Wright-Phillips, the former Manchester City and England winger, attempted a jive to Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande’s Faith. The energy was there. The timing? Not so much.
Craig Revel Horwood didn’t mince words. “Disastrous,” he declared, awarding a 3. The other judges were marginally kinder — 5s from Shirley and Motsi, a 4 from Anton — but the damage was done. A total of 17 leaves Wright-Phillips staring down the barrel of the dance-off on Sunday.
Lawrence Robb, previously tipped as a dark horse for the Glitterball, fared little better. His routine with Jowita Przystal was described as “patchy” at best, leaving him marooned in the danger zone alongside the footballer.
The mid-table battle and a McFly finale
Sandwiched between the triumph and the trauma, the middle of the pack scrapped for survival. Lacey Turner’s tango divided opinion — “manic” according to some, “fearless” according to others — while Dani Dyer bounced back from a tricky week with a salsa packed with lifts and attack.
The show closed on a sugar-rush high: John (last name withheld in the live feed, but widely rumoured to be a McFly member) and Katya Jones tearing through a Quickstep to Five Colours In Her Hair. It was fast, ambitious, and unmistakably Katya — all fleet-footed syncopation and grinning bravado. The judges rewarded the risk: 7, 8, 8, 9 for a 32-point personal best. “You are the ballroom king,” Motsi told him.
Why it Matters
Strictly’s power has always lain in its ability to turn Saturday night television into a national referendum on vulnerability, effort and second chances. Goodrem’s comeback and Stoecker’s emotional honesty reminded viewers that the show’s beating heart isn’t technical perfection — it’s the story behind the steps. Meanwhile, Wright-Phillips’s struggle underscores a brutal truth: athletic prowess doesn’t translate to ballroom fluency, and the British public has little patience for coasting on reputation. With Melanie C set to perform on Sunday’s results show and Anton du Beke holding the casting vote, the series’ first elimination will set the tone for whether 2026 rewards resilience or punishes early stumbles. The vote is open. The clock is ticking.
