Chris Appleton and his celebrity partner Amy Dowden are eliminated as the first Strictly Come Dancing contestants of the current series. After the Movie Week-themed live show, they land in the bottom two and face a dance-off against actor Jaime Winstone and her professional partner Carlos Gu. The judges save Winstone and her partner, while Appleton and Dowden leave the competition after their exit is aired in the results show.
Multiple outlets report that both dancers react emotionally and describe the experience as short but meaningful. Appleton speaks on companion programme It Takes Two about being overwhelmed and reduced to tears, and he says he felt out of his comfort zone while also learning and gaining confidence through the partnership. Dowden says she is “heartbroken” and “gutted,” adding that her disappointment is tied to not getting to dance with Appleton again the following day. She also emphasizes that what endures is the friendship they formed, describing it as “a friend for life.”
Other coverage places the outcome in the context of the public vote and judges’ decisions, noting that Gavin & Stacey actor Melanie Walters and partner Aljaž Škorjanec are saved, while Jaime Winstone progresses. The reports also mention that singer Delta Goodrem leads the standings after early high-scoring performances.
