Strictly Come Dancing: Melanie Walters eliminated as Delta Goodrem tops leaderboard

In the third week of the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing, actress Melanie Walters and professional partner Aljaž Škorjanec were eliminated from the competition. Following a tense dance-off against former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and partner Alexis Warr, the judges—Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Craig Revel Horwood—voted to save Wright-Phillips, resulting in Walters' departure.

Despite the elimination, Delta Goodrem continues to lead the competition. Performing a disco-inspired salsa to a medley of Jocelyn Brown and Chaka Khan tracks, Goodrem and partner Kai Widdrington earned 33 points, securing the top spot on the leaderboard for the second consecutive week. While her high scores have drawn praise from judges, some viewers have debated whether her professional background provides an unfair advantage.

With the scores reset for the new week, 14 couples remain in the competition as it moves past the initial elimination phase.