Hairdresser Chris Appleton becomes first contestant eliminated from UK TV show Strictly Come Dancing

On October 3, 2026, during Movie Week of the British TV show Strictly Come Dancing, celebrity hairdresser Chris Appleton and his partner Amy Dowden were eliminated after losing the dance-off to actress Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu. The judges voted unanimously to save Winstone. Appleton had scored low marks in previous weeks. In a subsequent interview on It Takes Two, he became emotional and cried while reflecting on his experience.