Is there a Strictly Come Dancing elimination this week? Here's when the first results show airs

After months of anticipation, Strictly Come Dancing is finally back - and the weekend of the first live show has arrived. As 15 shiny new couples gear up to try and impress the judges and viewers, nobody wants to be the first contestant to be sent packing.

Luckily, there has been no week one elimination since 2008, when the line-up was split into two halves for the first fortnight before one unlucky pairing from each half was sent packing.

In that instance, it was actor Phil Daniels and his professional partner Flavia Cacace who departed first, swiftly followed by EastEnders icon Gillian Taylforth and now-judge Anton Du Beke.

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Since then, the couples have been able to rest easy after the first live show, with everybody getting at least one other routine on the iconic dance floor as every couple makes it through to week two.

That will be the case once again in 2026, meaning there will be no Strictly Come Dancing results show on Sunday 27 September. The first one of the year will air on Sunday 4 October, when one couple's journey will come to an end.

In a fresh twist for this year's season, comedian Abi Clarke and Strictly alum Tyler West will host a brand new spin-off show after each elimination airs.

Strictly: Lights Up will be available exclusively on BBC iPlayer and give viewers immediate reactions from the night's eliminated couple, as well as the dance-off survivors, judges and other studio guests.

Speaking of spin-offs, It Takes Two returns on Monday (27 September), with new host Ellie Taylor - also a former Strictly star - taking over from Fleur East and Janette Manrara.

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Speaking to Digital Spy and other media recently, the Ted Lasso star teased: "It's going to have a new set, which I'm excited about, which you'll see when it starts to air, and I think it'll feel very familiar.

"In the way the main show is changing a lot, this show is also changing. But there's also going to be bits, formats that people remember... It's going to be refreshed and just changed up a little bit. So hopefully it'll be a really nice mix of old and new."

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 26 September at 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.