Strictly Come Dancing 2026: Amy Dowden's brilliant response to Brendan Cole criticism

Strictly Come Dancing 2026: Amy Dowden's brilliant response to Brendan Cole criticism Strictly Come Dancing fans are reeling after a leaked spoiler has revealed a favourite couple are sent packing in the second elimination The Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard is more sporadic than ever and sadly someone has to go home. The results of the second elimination have been leaked online by those in the live studio audience, with fans reacting strongly to the shock news. Pop star Delta Goodrem scored 33 for her Disco-themed Salsa, which landed the first nine of the series while at the other end, former Man City star Shaun-Wright Phillips picked up just 15 points and was widely panned for his Quickstep. There was more drama off-screen with Amy Dowden sneaking a moment in the dressing room to fire back at Brendan Cole for slamming her this week. Brendan said the professional was 'not good enough' to compete. Safe to say, Amy's had her say in the best way at the 'obsessed' former dancer. Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads . Key Events Amy Dowden's brilliant response to 'not good enough' jibe Amy Dowden has delivered an iconic response to Brendan Cole who said she was 'not good enough' after being voted out of the competition first two years running. “Amy has not been up to the challenge, in my opinion. I don’t think Amy’s been doing a very good job for the last few years and she’s been out first for the last few years. One can do the maths on that," he sneered. As Amy returned to the show last night, albeit with a partner, she shared a video of herself lip-syncing to Mariah Carey song Obsessed. She penned the caption: “If you know, you know #bekind #inaworldyoucanbeanythingbekind” Fans praised the star - who bravely returned to Strictly after battling cancer - for hitting back, one user said: “Keep shining – perfect response.” She also got the backing of several members of the Strictly family from Kevin Clifton, Stacey Dooley and Dianne Buswell. Take that Brendan. Strictly pro loses it with judges Viewers at home couldn't help but notice the moment professional Julian Cailon snapped at the judges' critique ove his partner Dame Sarah Storey. The duo are floundering at the bottom of the leaderboard after failing to impress with their Paso Doble. As the Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel-Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse dealt out their issues with the performance, an irked Julian shook his head in disbelief. "Julian’s reactions are stealing the show as much as the dances," one fan comented. "Well Julian is not happy with the judges comments," said another. "Julian snapping back at the judges actually made my night," joked a third. "Julian was really upset, because you can tell he believes in her and if counting helps her, so what. She done really well, and I adore Julian." 'Zoe Ball should have been given a cha-chance' This week the Mirror sat down with former Strictly pro Ian Waite to discuss the show's changes. Ian told us the BBC made a major misstep by not giving his pal Zoe Ball one of the hosting jobs. Zoe, 55, was one name thrown into the mix when Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly stepped down from the show last year. But she was rejected following an extensive audition and had to work “through the seven stages of grief” when she wasn’t given a role. “She actually told me before it was announced who got the job that she hadn’t got it,” said Ian. “And she did say to me she was gutted about it. “We know that she would have been brilliant. She’s Strictly through and through. Ten years on It Takes Two, and she’s an amazing presenter. So I was a bit sad when she didn’t get it.” Ian, 55, has his own views on why she didn’t get the role. “They just wanted to change it up, not have any of the old faces and bring in some new faces.” Fans TURN on Strictly spoiler mole The mole behind the Strictly spoiler has been a thorn in the side of Strictly bosses for years. But could fans be turning on the serial leaker now too? Viewers unable to wait until the results show flock to the super fan's website each week to have the vote-off ruined for them before the pre-filmed episode airs on Sundays. But today those keen beans were livid to discover the Strictly mole - who the Mirror has previously uncovered as photographer Dave Thorp - is now making them sit through numerous adverts to get to the goods as they monetise their site. "Dave I know you have to make money but this is farcical, have loved your site for 10 yrs but will use another moving forward…a big shame," lashed out one. "Been a fan for years but no longer," fumed another. Is it the beginning of the end for the Strictly super-spoiler? Katya Jones 'ready to quit' Katya Jones has revealed she was ready to quit the show after being so heartbroken by her exit last year. The professional and her partner, Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, had been the frontrunners to win but were brutally eliminated in the quarter-finals. Katya was so over her exit that she considered if she had enough strength to go through the trauma again this year. “Every year, I do question myself, like really think, ‘Are you ready for this really intense, really all-consuming thing again and again and again and again? "Every time I ask myself, and if the answer is still yes, I’ll be here doing it. And I must say, last year I was very heartbroken. “So there was a lot of doubt, like, ‘Can I face it again?’” We're so very glad she stayed! Surprise favourite to win emerges in Week 3 After a successful Saturday night on the dancefloor, the bookies now make former Love Island star Dani Dyer just 11/2 to take this year's Glitterball Trophy. It means she's overtaken both Delta Goodrem and John Nellis as an early favourite - just behind EastEnder's Lacey Turner. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "Dani Dyer is closing the gap on the frontrunners, and while Strictly still looks like Lacey's to lose, the latest odds suggest it could be a much closer race for the Glitterball Trophy." Do you agree with these odds? Lacey Turner - 7/4 Dani Dyer - 11/2 Delta Goodrem - 6/1 John Nellis - 6/1 Who is in trouble? Some couples appears more vulnerable than others ahead of the results show. There is a whopping 18 point gap between those at the top of the leaderboard and those dwindling at the bottom. Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb, paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, Gavin & Stacey's Melanie Walters and ex footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips all failed to impress the judges and will be praying for viewer votes. Here's the 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 Strictly Come Dancing spoiler leaks Viewers have been reacting in droves with the brutal second elimination leaked online hours before tonight's results show. It's safe to say it was a popular contestant who has been given the boot following the dreaded dance off. "I'm so sad to see who left," groaned one. "I don’t want to believe this is the Dance-Off," said another. "The judging this year is a joke," fumed another after the judges made their call. "Heartbroken for the couple that have left," agreed another. The Mirror has chosen not to reveal the duo who left for fans to enjoy the results show on BBC One later. Here's a recap of what went down tonight A quick recap of tonight's dances: Lacey danced a samba and the judges thought it was a strong dance but she needed to be a bit more out there. She scored 26. Will danced a waltz. the judges thought he'd improved. As such, he cracked the mid-20s and went away with 25 from the panel. Shaun went next, with a brief cameo from dad Ian Wright in the training video. Shaun did a quickstep that Craig said was "everything a quickstep shouldn't be". He scored the lowest of the night with 15. Cach briefly held the top of the leaderboard after his Couple's Choice. The judges, who gave him 31, said it was a joy to watch. Jaime was next with a Viennese waltz. The judges felt she could have been better, but was still dancing nicely. They gave her 28. No one was prouder than her dad Ray Winstone, who left a video message. Melanie's charleston featured a cameo from Neil Jones. The judges were impressed with her personality, but less so with the dancing. She got 17. Sarah used the school run to feul her paso doble anger and the judges were split on whether they enjoyed it or not. They gave her 20. Delta soared to the top of the leaderboard with a salsa that scored 33, as she earned the first 9 of the series. Lawrence failed to impress with his rumba, which only got 20, but did get a 5 from Craig, which Jowita was happy with. Dani's tango showed improvement and the judges rewarded her with 27. Graeme's jive brought a tear to Craig's eye, as he reminde the judge of the late Len Goodman. he earned a 25. John's first latin number was a cha cha cha and failed to reach the heights of his week one foxtrot. He walked away with 20. Bethany was next up with an American Smooth that Shirley thought was "extremely impressive". She got 27. And Tabby was last with an Argentine tango that fans thought should have topped the leaderboard. But she came in joint second with 31. What happens next week? What's more iconic than Strictly? Strictly's Icons Week, of course! Next week, the surviving couples will take to the dancefloor, dressed up as their favourite musicians. Last year, we got Dolly Parton, Cheryl Cole, Ariana Grande, Johnny Cash and more! Here are the icons I'd love to see: The Gallagher brothers, Kylie Minogue, Aretha Franklin and Mick Jagger. What happens now? If you're not spray-tanned and sparkled out from tonight's antics, then we have good news for you - Strictly is back tomorrow! The results show are being filmed tonight, but they will air on BBC One at 7.10pm tomorrow. During it, Shirley and Anton are set to dance off against each other in a football-inspired group dance. And, of course, we'll say goodbye to one of our Strictly stars, but which one? Did Aljaz model himself on Danny Dyer? Aljaz was sporting quite the moustache in tonight's episode. It was so striking that some wondered if he was modelling himself on another Stictly star's famous dad - Danny Dyer. Danny is in hit 1980s show Rivals, where he too has a fantastic moustache. "Aljaz with that tash and wig is giving me big Danny Dyer in Rivals vibes," one social media user said. Another added: "I'm a bit behind but why is Aljaz channeling Danny Dyer from Rivals?" The vote is 'more important' than ever The leaderboard at the end of the night was incredibly close, with several couples sharing the same score - both Cach and Tabby scored 31, Dani and Bethany both got 27, Will and Graeme got 25, and Sarah, Lawrence and John all got 20. As such, even though Delta scored 33 and Shaun Wright-Phillips scored 15, they are only nine spots apart on the leaderboard. As one fan said, this means the vote is "more important" than ever, as the points they receive from the leaderboard will be close together. A fan said: "Omg, I can't believe how tight the leaderboard is. The vote counts more than ever because the bottom and the top are going to be so close in terms of points. Guys, please vote for your favourites because anyone could go this week." Another responded: "Yeah it's so important to vote. More important than ever really because someone decent could go home early if they end up in the dance off against someone else good." Nancy shares her thoughts Nancy, on her American Smooth with Bethany: "Hard work does pay off. They gave us criticisms, we remember it and we work on them." Julian, Delta and Jowita have their say Julian, on his paso doble with Sarah: "She did everything we worked on, everything we asked for. And at the end of the day, we always say, did you have fun? We take it in our stride to get better." Delta, on her salsa with Kai: "That was so much fun. I was really hoping my energy and adrenaline would kick in after. I really felt good in the kicking bit." Jowita, on her rumba with Lawrence: "We created a song for Craig to get a five and we did get a five from Craig. This is the first five from Craig, so we are improving. So, maybe we need to create an album!" More Strictly stars speak up! Carlos, on his Viennese waltz with Jaime: "A seven from Craig is absolutely fabulous. We're so pleased. What an achievement!" Aljaz, on his charleston with Melanie: "The number started with a date. It was a blind date. There were a couple of other contestants involved. I love that we went out there today and just delivered." What do the Strictly stars think of their performaces? The stars who danced the night away have revealed what they thought about their performances, in a video shared by the Strictly Instagram. Vito, on his samba with Lacey: "I'm very, very, very happy. That was a very difficult dance. Now we can have a little glass of water and rest!" Will on his Waltz with Dianne: "We're in the 20s! We're in the mid-20s! We've not just scraped into the 20s, that means next week, we're aiming for the high 20s. I could not believe they were being so nice." Shaun, on his quickstep with Alexis: "Yes, there were a couple of mistakes, but to actually finish the routine, I would most probably say was one of my most satisfying feelings." Will Will Best be the next out? Despite a good dance, fans think Will might be the next out of Strictly. But not because of him - because of the producers! They danced in spot number two, which is notoriously known as the 'death slot'. It's not opening the show but it's also far to early to make a lasting impression in viewers minds. Fans are more likely to vote for someone later in the running order, as that means the dance was fresher in their minds. One fan lamented: "Will and Dianne in the death slot? Oh of course!!" Another said the pair had been "slated for the last two weeks and are still getting a death slot Waltz this show". Were the judges too harsh? Some of the Strictly fans think the judges were a bit harsh tonight, particularly Shirley, whom Craig dubbed a "fun sponge" - already, something feels wrong if Craig, the Strictly baddie, is calling you a 'fun sponge'! One fan said: "Shirley really is in a harsh mood this week lmao. Although I have agreed with everything she's said so far." Another added: "Shirley really is harsh with her scores tonight." And a third said: "I do think that Shirley was a bit harsh with Lawrence tonight tbh". Where was Danny Dyer? So we saw Ian Wright and we saw Ray Winstone - where was dad number three Danny Dyer? Danny, the elder Dyer and father to Dani, is probably getting ready for his turn to host SNL UK on Sky. The infamous hardman has shown off his comedy chops in the past few years, with his roles in Rivals and Mr Bigstuff. Now, he's hosting the UK's version of comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live, which will air from 10pm on Sky One. But Danny is very proud of his daughter and was in the audience for her first live show. The Mirror's picks Like everyone, we have our own opinions about the best and worst of the night. Here are our hits and misses of Stricrty week three: Best dance Delta's salsa. The judges got it right this week, because our jaws were on the floor for that dance. Runners up were Tabby's Argentine Tango and Jaime's Viennese Waltz. Worst dance Again, the judges and our office are on the same page - Shaun's quickstep wasn't up to scratch, however much fun he had. Best costume Delta's silver fringe. Has an outfit ever suited Strictly Come Dancing so much? We do also want to give a special shout out to Mark's sheer shirt. Most improved It's got to be Will Best. His frame was so much better for his waltz! Best song It may have seemed a weird pick at first, but the version of Robin's Show Me Love that Dani had for her tango really worked. Props to Dave Arch and his wonderful, wonderful orchestra! Anton gets the deciding vote This week, it's Anton who will cast the tie breaking vote, should the other judges be split on who to send home during the dance off. Here's what fans think Fans are filling up the forums and social media with their comments, but do you agree? "Delta and Tabby stand out like a sore thumb as being the best. Sean and Melanie bottom 2..." "Sorry but I think that tabby should of been at the very top of the leaderboard" "31? A "31" for that incredible Argentine Tango? Tabby & Mark was under marked for that. At least 34-36 was worth that performance any day of the week." And that was the last dance! The vote is open. With so many sharing the same scores, the leaderboard is quite condensed, so the points given to the bottom couple will be close to the top couple's. As such, it's really down to the vote to decide who is in the bottom two. It could be anyone... The judges say... Craig: Love, love, love! (So glad I was wrong!) Motsi: Tabby was great! Shirley: This is on a very good track! Anton: Love, love, love! (Copycat) Tabby's Argentine Tango The first Argentine tango of the series was dramatic, daring and dynamic! The flicks were certainly there, as were the lifts. I do worry that Craig will think it was clunky and I'm not sure Tabby liked it as there were moments when she looked absolutely terrified! Josh injures Emma Oh Josh, no! After being asked to dip Emma, Josh did his best with the dance move, but she was left screaming out and clutching her back. "Never again," Josh said, as Emma admitted her scream might have been dramatic. Bethany's American Smooth The crowd has certainly gone wild for this one! As Josh said, it was "joyful"! Anton felt Bethany was "spot on" as a leader and said it was much better than her follwoing position. He waslso wanted more musicality. Meanwhile, Criag said the dance could have been cleaned up but he "really loved it". Motsi also felt the dance was well done, saying: "Everything gets lighter when you dance." Shirley said it was "extremely impressive" for week three. John's Cha Cha John did his first latin dance of the series. I think he's better suited to the ballroom, if I'm honest. It felt a bit uncertain and a little more like dad dancing than his graceful and suave foxtrot in week one. Craig tears up over Len Goodman This would've brought me to tears - Craig turned to Graeme and said: "I felt it was like I was watching dear Len Goodman out there, I got a bit emosh." He even teared up as he spoke, with Anton later saying: "Craig got emotional, we're all concerned."