Bethany Antonia Eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2026 After Shirley Ballas Casting Vote
Bethany Antonia and her professional partner Nancy Xu have left Strictly Come Dancing 2026, becoming the sixth couple eliminated from this year’s series. The House of the Dragon actress lost Sunday night’s dance-off to Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby after head judge Shirley Ballas used her casting vote on 8 November 2026.
The result stunned many viewers because Antonia and Xu had outscored their rivals on Saturday night. Their foxtrot to Leona Lewis’s “Bleeding Love” earned 30 points from the judges, four more than Mercer and Ingoldsby managed for their waltz. Once the public vote was added, however, both couples landed in the bottom two.
Bethany Antonia — Strictly Come Dancing 2026 at a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Eliminated couple | Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu |
| Results show | Sunday 8 November 2026, BBC One |
| Dance-off rivals | Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby |
| Saturday scores | Antonia and Xu 30 for their foxtrot; Mercer and Ingoldsby 26 for their waltz |
| Judges’ split | Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse saved Antonia and Xu; Anton Du Beke saved Mercer and Ingoldsby |
| Deciding vote | Head judge Shirley Ballas saved Mercer and Ingoldsby |
| Couples remaining | Nine |
| Next live show | Saturday 14 November, 6.25pm, BBC One |
| Next results show | Sunday 15 November, 7.15pm, BBC One |
A 30-Point Foxtrot That Still Landed in the Bottom Two
Antonia and Xu performed their foxtrot to “Bleeding Love” for a second time in Sunday’s dance-off, hoping to repeat the performance that had placed them joint fourth on Saturday’s leaderboard. They had shared that position with Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola, while Mercer and Ingoldsby sat joint bottom with 26 points, level with John Nellis and Katya Jones.
The judges’ marks alone told only half the story. Strictly combines the judges’ scores with the public vote, and the combined result put both couples in the bottom two despite the four-point gap between them. It was the second week in a row that Antonia and Xu had faced the dance-off, after surviving the series’ first triple dance-off during Halloween week on 1 November.
Antonia is best known to television audiences as Baela Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon. Her pairing with Xu also carried wider significance for the show, marking the competition’s first same-sex pairing in three years.
How the Judges Split and Ballas Cast the Deciding Vote
When the dance-off ended, the four judges could not agree. Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse both voted to save Antonia and Xu, while Anton Du Beke chose to save Mercer and Ingoldsby. That left Ballas, as head judge, holding the casting vote.
Ballas chose to save Mercer and Ingoldsby, bringing Antonia and Xu’s seven-week run to an end. Speaking to host Emma Willis after the result, Antonia addressed her exit emotionally, and the reaction online quickly divided viewers. Many fans said a 30-point routine should not have gone home, while others backed Ballas’s right to judge the dance-off on the night.
The results show also carried a Remembrance Sunday tribute, with the Strictly professionals performing a group routine to mark the occasion. Elsewhere in the competition, Jaime Winstone sat out the weekend after receiving an injury bye and is expected to return next week.
What Happens Next on Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Nine couples remain in the 2026 series, and the contest resumes on Saturday 14 November at 6.25pm on BBC One, with the results show following on Sunday 15 November at 7.15pm. Antonia and Xu are due to talk about their time on the show on Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday 9 November, appearing with Ellie Taylor on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Fans can also catch immediate reaction from the dancefloor on the spin-off programme Strictly: Lights Up, available on BBC iPlayer. For Antonia, the exit closes a run that mixed strong judges’ scores with repeated trips to the dance-off, and the debate over Ballas’s casting vote is likely to follow the show into next weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who left Strictly Come Dancing on 8 November 2026?
Bethany Antonia and her professional partner Nancy Xu were eliminated in the results show on Sunday 8 November 2026, becoming the sixth couple to leave the 2026 series.
Why did Bethany Antonia leave Strictly if she scored more than Cach Mercer?
Antonia and Xu scored 30 on Saturday, four points more than Mercer and Ingoldsby’s 26. Strictly combines judges’ scores with the public vote, and both couples landed in the bottom two. In the dance-off, the judges split two-two and head judge Shirley Ballas used her casting vote to save Mercer and Ingoldsby.
How did each Strictly judge vote in the dance-off?
Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse voted to save Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu. Anton Du Beke voted to save Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby. Shirley Ballas, holding the casting vote, saved Mercer and Ingoldsby.
How many couples are left in Strictly Come Dancing 2026?
Nine couples remain after Antonia and Xu’s elimination. Jaime Winstone, who sat out the weekend with an injury bye, is expected to return.
When is Strictly Come Dancing on next?
The next live show airs on Saturday 14 November at 6.25pm on BBC One, with the results show on Sunday 15 November at 7.15pm.
