Ian Wright has delivered his verdict after watching son Shaun Wright-Phillips compete on Strictly Come Dancing.
“Well, he said the first time I looked a little bit stiff,” Shaun told the Mirror.
“And then the second time he was over the moon,” he added.
The warmer verdict followed Shaun’s jump from the bottom of the leaderboard to ninth place.
The 44-year-old struggled during week one. He then returned with a fun Salsa to Saturday Night Fever during the second live show.
That performance lifted him up the rankings and kept him out of the dance-off.
Ian Wright had been nervous about watching Shaun
Shaun previously said Ian was too scared to watch him dancing live. He also doubted his father would take a seat in the studio audience.
“He never watches a lot of stuff that I’ve done in my life live,” Shaun admitted to Press Association.
“Only a few times he’s been to games, and only a few times he’s watched it live.
“He’s too emotionally attached, so he’ll most probably like start crying, or if anybody says something, he’s gonna have to say something, so he must probably watch it on a replay, knowing him.”
Shaun Wright-Phillips opens up about Strictly pressure
Shaun admitted his first Strictly performance had been nerve-racking.
“I’m way out of my comfort zone,” he said.
He explained that each routine brings a long list of details to manage at once. Shaun must remember his steps, stay in time and maintain the right position alongside Alexis Warr.
He must also smile, control his arms and stay ready for Alexis to move across the floor. The cameras, lights and ballroom setting initially added more pressure.
By the second Saturday, however, those surroundings felt more familiar to him.
Shaun and Alexis Warr build confidence
Shaun said he and professional partner Alexis have quickly formed a strong friendship. He described training as hard work, while stressing that they also laugh together.
That balance matters because he wants to enjoy the Strictly journey, not simply work through it. He credited repeated practice, trust in the process and growing confidence for his week-two improvement.
Shaun and Alexis finished ninth, directly below Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu on the leaderboard. Jaime and Carlos then faced Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden in the dance-off.
Every judge chose to save Jaime and Carlos, meaning Chris and Amy were eliminated. Shaun said he felt relieved to escape that contest after working hard before the second live show.
It completed a sharp turnaround from his place at the bottom one week earlier.
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