Strictly Come Dancing 2026 puts Lawrence Robb in a historic triple dance
The Scottish actor faced two other couples in the ballroom after an unprecedented format shift changed how the judges cast their votes.
Scottish actor Lawrence Robb and professional dancer Jowita Przystał became the fifth couple eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing series 24 on Sunday, November 1, exiting the ballroom during the Week 6 Halloween results show on BBC One.
Their departure came after the BBC dancing competition introduced its first-ever three-couple dance-off. Robb and Przystał had to face off against two other pairings: Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu, alongside Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu.
A reversed elimination vote
The unprecedented triple dance-off brought a significant format change to the judging process. Rather than voting on which couple to save, as is customary on the show, the judges were asked to choose which pair to eliminate, according to the BBC One broadcast and the Daily Express.
Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke, and head judge Shirley Ballas all cast their votes to send home Robb and Przystał, sealing a unanimous verdict. Judge Motsi Mabuse held the deciding casting vote for Week 6, but because three colleagues had already chosen the same couple, her vote was not needed. Mabuse stated on air that she would also have voted to eliminate Robb and Przystał.
Three routines in the dance-off
Each couple reprised their Halloween Week performance for the judges. Robb and Przystał danced their Tango to “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr., while Antonia and Xu performed their Jive to “I’m In Love With a Monster” by Fifth Harmony.
Winstone and Gu, who survived the Week 5 dance-off against eliminated contestants Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr, returned to the floor with their Salsa to “Filthy/Gorgeous” by Scissor Sisters.
The three couples landed in danger despite not holding the lowest scores on Saturday night. Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita, along with Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley, had tied at the bottom of the Week 6 leaderboard with 25 points on October 31, but both duos avoided the bottom three once the viewer votes were added. Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola had topped the Halloween leaderboard with 36 points for their Charleston.
Viewer debate and farewell messages
The unexpected twist divided viewers watching at home. According to reports from the Manchester Evening News and the Daily Mirror, several fans questioned the fairness of the format, arguing that Robb was steadily improving and had never landed in the dance-off prior to Week 6. Other viewers wondered why only one pair left the competition if three couples were put up for elimination.
As is standard practice for the BBC, the exact breakdown of the public vote totals was not released.
Speaking to hosts after the verdict, Robb reflected warmly on his time on the show. “It’s been the most wonderful family to be part of and the dancefloor is electric. I want to thank everyone. I’m proud of the journey and the salsa was an absolute highlight. I’ve loved every second,” he said.
Przystał also praised her celebrity partner for his dedication across the six weeks. “I’ve had the best time ever. I need to say thank you for always showing up, giving me 100 every time, for going out of your comfort zone and keeping up with my horrible singing every day. You are such a kind a beautiful soul and your aura shines so bright. I absolutely adore you,” she said.
