Shaun Wright-Phillips has been handed an ominous Strictly Come Dancing prediction just hours before the 2026 series gets underway.
The footballer will make his debut on the show tonight (Saturday, September 19) alongside 14 other celebrities.
Shaun is tipped to be first out (Credit: BBC)
Shaun Wright-Phillips to be first out in Strictly Come Dancing simulation
British Gambler’s supercomputer has given the former England footballer just a 0.1 per cent chance of lifting the Glitterball Trophy.
The analysis suggests Shaun could instead become the first celebrity to leave the competition.
The prediction comes as the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 cast gets ready to meet their professional partners. That crucial pairing could have a major impact on the prospects of every contestant. However, Shaun’s sporting background offered little benefit in this particular calculation.
Before the series began, Shaun admitted that ballroom dancing would take him well outside his usual comfort zone. He said: “Dancing is in my blood—but mainly at family events!”
His enthusiasm for taking part now contrasts sharply with the supercomputer’s gloomy assessment
Dani Dyer emerges as favourite
Dani Dyer has emerged as the model’s clear favourite to win the Glitterball Trophy. She won 24.8 per cent of the 1,000 simulated series, meaning she was victorious in almost one in every four simulations.
That puts her ahead of the other leading contender named in the analysis, Lawrence Robb.
Dani’s return to Strictly Come Dancing comes after an ankle fracture brought her 2025 campaign to an early end. Before her exit, she had trained with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin.
The model viewed that previous rehearsal experience as a notable advantage compared with celebrities who are stepping into the ballroom for the first time. Alex Kostin, a spokesperson for British Gambler, said the experience gave Dani a head start.
He also highlighted her wider experience of competing as another factor considered by the model.
Lawrence Robb emerges as Dani Dyer’s main rival
Lawrence Robb was the next strongest performer in the simulations, winning 17.1 per cent of the competitions. The Emmerdale actor’s previous dance training helped strengthen his position in the model’s assessment.
According to Kostin, Lawrence’s experience across different disciplines was one reason he ranked highly. Tabby Stoecker and Cach Mercer also caught the attention of the analysis, Kostin said.
How the Strictly Come Dancing model worked
British Gambler ran the current celebrity line-up through 1,000 simulated series before Saturday’s launch. The system considered athletic backgrounds, dance training, previous performance experience, entertainment profiles and current winner odds.
Those ingredients produced a clear favourite. However, the company was keen to stress that Strictly remains difficult to call. Kostin also highlighted the limits of any pre-series prediction.
“Strictly is notoriously difficult to predict because the professional pairing, choreography, music, and public vote can completely change the picture.”
The 0.1 per cent figure is therefore a modelling result rather than an elimination notice. Shaun still has the opportunity to prove the gloomy prediction wrong once he takes to the dancefloor.
Read more: New Strictly host Josh Widdicombe suffers health issues ahead of series return
Strictly airs tonight (Saturday, September 19) from 7.25pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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