Summary of the Article
Chris Appleton, a celebrity hairstylist, has become the first contestant eliminated from the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing. The announcement came after the first public voting of the series, where Appleton and his dance partner, Amy Dowden, faced off against actress Jaime Winstone and her partner, Carlos Gu, in a dance-off.
Appleton performed a Cha Cha to “I’ll Be Ready” from Baywatch, while Winstone danced to Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” from Pretty Woman. Ultimately, the judges decided to save Winstone and Gu, as all three judges voted against Appleton and Dowden.
The results show also featured a performance by Strictly professionals and young performers from Matilda The Musical. This marks the second time that Amy Dowden has been the first professional to lose a partner in the competition, following a similar situation in 2025.
Appleton, known for styling high-profile clients like Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian, recently released a memoir titled Your Roots Don’t Define You. The show continues next week with fourteen remaining couples competing.
Strictly Come Dancing airs again on Saturday, 10 October at 6:15 PM on BBC One.
