JAIME WINSTONE FIGHTS BACK TEARS AFTER STRICTLY DANCE-OFF SCARE — CARLOS GU’S EMOTIONAL WORDS LEAVE HER OVERCOME

Jaime Winstone was visibly fighting back tears as she opened up about the terrifying moment she came within a whisker of becoming the first celebrity eliminated from this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The 41-year-old actress found herself in the bottom two alongside professional partner Carlos Gu after the public vote following Movie Night, leaving her facing the first dance-off of the 2026 series.

Thankfully for Jaime, all four judges unanimously chose to save her — meaning she will return to the dance floor next week.

But the emotional toll of the experience became clear when she appeared on It Takes Two with Carlos and host Ellie Taylor.

‘A LOT OF INSECURITIES HAPPENED’

Speaking about the aftermath, Jaime admitted the dance-off had brought a wave of emotions to the surface.

“It has been really emotional,” she said.

She reflected on comments made by Chris Appleton, who was ultimately eliminated alongside Amy Dowden, saying they had taken her back to feelings she experienced as a child.

“You really do go back to that child in school going ‘I don’t fit in’ – when actually some of the greatest things about you are what make you stand out.”

Jaime acknowledged that the experience had triggered some of her own insecurities.

“Yeah, a lot of insecurities happened yesterday,” she said.

But she ended on a note of determination:

“It’s not how you fall, it’s how you get back up again.”

CARLOS GU COULDN’T HIDE HIS HEARTACHE

For Carlos, the dance-off was equally difficult — but his biggest concern appeared to be Jaime rather than himself.

The professional dancer was competing in his first dance-off in three years and admitted he found the decision difficult to accept.

He described the result as “unfair”, words that appeared to leave Jaime emotional as she sat beside him.

With Jaime clutching her partner’s hand, Carlos went on to praise just how far she had come since the beginning of their Strictly journey.

His support appeared to hit Jaime hard, with the actress visibly welling up as he spoke about her progress and growth as a dancer.

For a couple who had just faced the possibility of leaving the competition, it was a striking reminder of how quickly Strictly can turn from celebration to genuine emotional pressure.

JAIME SURVIVES — BUT CHRIS APPLETON’S JOURNEY ENDS

The dance-off saw Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden perform their Cha Cha to “I’ll Be Ready” from Baywatch.

Jaime and Carlos then took to the floor with their own Cha Cha, performing “Oh, Pretty Woman” from Pretty Woman.

After watching both couples perform, the judges unanimously chose to save Jaime and Carlos.

That meant Chris became the first celebrity eliminated from the competition, bringing his Strictly journey to an early end alongside Amy.

The result was particularly painful for Carlos, who has a close friendship with Amy and later opened up about her departure.

‘MY HEART IS BROKEN’

Carlos took to Instagram following the elimination to share an emotional message for Amy and Chris.

“My heart is broken!!!” he wrote.

Addressing Amy directly, he added:

“To my sister from another mother @amy_dowden, to @chrisappleston1, I wish people could [have] had more chance to see what a beautiful human you are!”

It marked the second year running that Carlos had watched his friend Amy leave the competition earlier than hoped.

For Jaime, however, the focus now turns to getting back on the dance floor after surviving a first-week scare that left her confronting some very personal insecurities.

STRICTLY FACES A VIEWING FIGURE DROP

The emotional dance-off came as Strictly Come Dancing faced attention over its overnight viewing figures.

According to ratings data shared by Digital i, Sunday’s first results show attracted 4.5 million viewers, compared with 6.2 million for the equivalent show last year.

The first live show of the 2026 series reportedly peaked at 5 million viewers, more than a million fewer than the 6.2 million average recorded for the first live show in 2025.

However, a Strictly spokesperson stressed that overnight figures do not capture the full audience in an increasingly on-demand television landscape.

The spokesperson said: “Strictly was the most watched programme of the night, with a peak of five million viewers. As ever, overnight ratings do not give the full picture of all those who watch in an on-demand world.”

And while the numbers may have sparked discussion away from the dance floor, Jaime’s emotional appearance made one thing clear: surviving the first Strictly dance-off can be every bit as intense as performing in it.