Shaun Wright-Phillips faces early Strictly exit threat after low-scoring debut
Shaun Wright-Phillips heads into the first elimination weekend of Strictly Come Dancing under pressure after bookmakers installed him as the favourite to leave the competition.
The former Manchester City and Chelsea footballer and his professional partner Alexis Warr scored 15 points for their opening Cha Cha, leaving them joint-bottom of the Week One leaderboard alongside Melanie Walters and Aljaž Škorjanec, and Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon.
With the first elimination approaching, William Hill has Wright-Phillips priced at 10/11 to be the first celebrity sent home. The odds are subject to change, but they underline the challenge facing the former Premier League winger after his first appearance in the ballroom.
Wright-Phillips sits at the bottom of the leaderboard
Wright-Phillips and Warr’s Cha Cha earned 15 points from judges Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas.
The breakdown was particularly tough. Revel Horwood awarded the pair two points, while Mabuse and Ballas each gave them four, with Du Beke adding five.
Their total left them level with Walters and Storey at the foot of the table after the opening live show. The Week One scores will carry forward into Movie Week, with the public vote then becoming part of the competition.
William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said Wright-Phillips had not enjoyed the opening week he would have wanted and noted that he had become odds-on to be the first celebrity eliminated.
Phelps also pointed to the timing of the betting move, saying Wright-Phillips becoming the first-exit favourite represented another unwanted headline for Manchester City supporters while the club was already attracting attention.
Sarah Storey was next in William Hill’s market at 7/4, followed by Chris Appleton at 5/1 and Melanie Walters at 6/1.
A chance to change the narrative
Despite the bookmakers’ assessment, Wright-Phillips still has the opportunity to move away from the danger zone with his next routine.
He and Warr are due to perform a Salsa to You Should Be Dancing from Saturday Night Fever during Movie Week. The routine is among the dances confirmed for the second live show, which will see all 15 couples return before the first elimination.
The choice of dance gives Wright-Phillips a very different challenge from his opening Cha Cha, particularly after the judges repeatedly encouraged him to bring more personality and confidence to the floor.
Motsi Mabuse tells Shaun to stop holding back
Motsi Mabuse was among the judges to identify clear positives in Wright-Phillips’ first performance, but she also felt he was keeping too much of himself out of the routine.
She pointed out that he had followed Warr’s instructions closely, completing the footwork and arm movements and showing that he had absorbed the choreography.
The problem, in her view, was that the emotion was not coming through.
Mabuse encouraged him to let the audience see the enjoyment he was feeling rather than keeping it contained. Her advice was simple: if the confidence was not there yet, he should act as though it was and put that feeling into the performance.
The comments prompted laughter from Wright-Phillips, who appeared to take the criticism in good humour.
Shirley Ballas finds plenty to build on
Shirley Ballas took a more encouraging approach, focusing on the technical elements that had impressed her.
She highlighted Wright-Phillips’ checked forward walk, a movement used to change direction, and praised the way he executed the transition from one heel to the other.
Ballas also pointed to other elements of the choreography, including the tricks and flicks incorporated into the routine.
While she agreed that Wright-Phillips needed to work on his personality and stage presence, she stressed that there was plenty in the performance worth developing.
Her overall message was that the former footballer had promise and should retain the quality of his footwork while working on bringing more character to his dancing.
Anton Du Beke praises his timing
Anton Du Beke was considerably more enthusiastic about the performance.
He described Wright-Phillips as charming and said he enjoyed watching the former footballer experience the novelty of performing on the Strictly dance floor.
Du Beke also praised the technical side of the routine, saying Wright-Phillips had remained on time throughout and had not hesitated during the dance.
For Du Beke, the combination of the timing, the steps and the sense that Wright-Phillips was genuinely enjoying the experience made the performance appealing despite its shortcomings.
His comments provided a welcome boost after Mabuse and Ballas had highlighted areas requiring improvement.
Craig Revel Horwood delivers the bluntest verdict
Craig Revel Horwood was less convinced.
After hearing the other judges’ assessments, he delivered the sharpest criticism of the night, telling Wright-Phillips and Warr that it would take a few more weeks before the footballer reached professional level.
The remark drew a reaction from Wright-Phillips, but it also underlined the gap he will need to close if he is to remain in the competition.
The pressure is now on
Wright-Phillips’ 15-point opening score means he enters the next stage with little room for error.
He is not alone at the bottom of the leaderboard, but the betting market has nevertheless singled him out as the leading candidate for the first elimination. William Hill’s 10/11 price puts him ahead of Storey, Appleton and Walters in the market.
The first live show itself did not feature an elimination or public vote, meaning Wright-Phillips and Warr have another opportunity to improve before the competition produces its first departure.
Their Salsa to You Should Be Dancing will therefore be an important test. After a debut in which the judges praised Wright-Phillips’ footwork and timing but repeatedly called for greater personality, the next performance will give him the chance to show whether he can turn that advice into a stronger showing on the dance floor.
