Strictly 2026: Who topped the leaderboard in latest live show?
The race for the Glitterball Trophy heated up on Saturday night as the latest series of the new-look Strictly Come Dancing progressed to its third week.
The 14 celebrity contestants – one down after the first eliminations at the hands of the public last week – took to the ballroom to show off a host of different dance styles.
Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton and professional dancer Amy Dowden were dumped out after they failed to impress the judges nor the public last week.
The first exits of the series has piled the pressure on those remaining in the BBC television contest.
To impress the judges on Saturday evening, the quick-footed couples put on displays of salsa, Cha Cha Cha, a waltz and even a samba.
Judges awarded the couple, dressed in silver disco outfit, 8, 9, 8, 8, giving them not only the highest score of the night, but the top score of the series so far.
It was the second week running that the pair had topped the leader board. Judge Anton Du Beke said the former Neighbours actor was “setting a very high bar” this season, while Craig Revel Horwood called her performance “amazing”.
Behind them were Tabby Stoecker, a British and Olympic skeleton racer, and dance partner Mark Karmalita, who were rewarded with 31 points for their tango.
Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley – who were second on the leaderboard last week – got a score of 25 for their jive, while YouTuber John Nellis and Katya Jones received 20 for their cha cha cha.
Former football player Shaun Wright-Phillips – who lined-up for London clubs Chelsea and QPR during his playing career – and Alexis Warr fared less well in front of the judges.
They scored just 15 points, putting them rock bottom of the nights’ rankings.
Week three show leaderboard in full
* Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington – 33
* Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita – 31
* Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby – 31
* Jamie Winstone and Carlos Gu - 28
* Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu – 27
* Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin - 27
* Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola – 26
* Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley – 25
* Will Best and Diane Buswell – 25
* John Nellis and Katya Jones – 20
* Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystal – 20
* Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon – 20
* Melanie Walters and Aljaz Skorjanec – 17
* Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr – 15
Despite the score for his quickstep, Wright-Phillips was told by Du Beke he had “all the components to be a super, super dancer”.
Gavin and Stacey actress Melanie Walters and Aljaž Škorjanec only narrowly missed being bottom for a second week in a row.
They scored 17 points from the judges – two points better than their last showing.
The public are able to have their say on who should be in the bottom two for the dance-off on Sunday night’s edition of the show.
Judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Horwood and Du Beke will then decide, following the dance-off, which couple to save.
Du Beke will be given the deciding vote if the judges are tied at the end of Sunday’s show, which is due to air at 7.10pm on BBC One.