Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb became the fifth celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing 2026 on Sunday night, according to The Mirror. The 34-year-old, who plays Mackenzie Boyd on the ITV soap, was eliminated after a three-couple dance off on the show's Halloween Week results episode. He had performed with professional partner Jowita Przystał.
Robb faced Jaime Winstone and Bethany Antonia in the bottom three, and the judges sent him home. The result was broadcast on Sunday 1 November 2026, the day after the Halloween Week performances aired.
Why it matters
Robb's exit drew a strong reaction from viewers, and much of it focused less on the result itself than on the format that produced it. The Mirror reports that some fans criticised the decision to hold a three-couple dance off, with one describing Robb as the casualty of a change introduced for a single week without explanation. The broadcaster has not offered a reason in the reporting available.
The elimination also marked the first time this series that three couples have faced the judges together, according to the Belfast Telegraph. That detail gave the result an unusual shape: Robb was not simply the weakest of two, but one of three couples judged in the same round.
A strong leaderboard position, then the bottom three
Robb and Przystał danced a Tango to Ray Parker Jr's "Ghostbusters" on Saturday's show. The Mirror reports the routine placed them seventh on the judges' leaderboard, which made their appearance in the dance off something of a surprise relative to their scoring.
Head judge Shirley Ballas raised concerns about the performance, according to The Mirror, complaining of "glitches" in it. The Mirror does not specify what those glitches were or when they occurred.
The three-couple dance off is the element that has drawn the most comment. The Belfast Telegraph describes it as the first triple dance off of the series. The Mirror reports that fans questioned why the format was used for one week only, with one viewer quoted as saying there was no stated reason for the change.
Coverage of the result spread quickly across outlets. The Independent framed its report around the Halloween Week twist that accompanied the fifth exit, while News & Star reported that fans were "absolutely devastated" by the outcome. Manchester Evening News described viewers as "so sad" about an exit they had not anticipated. Those characterisations come from the respective outlets and reflect audience reaction rather than any statement from the show.
What happens next
Strictly Come Dancing continues next weekend with the remaining couples, and the question now is whether the three-couple dance off returns or whether the show reverts to its usual two-couple format.
