Chris Robshaw Eliminated Third Week Strictly Come Dancing

Chris Robshaw, the former England rugby union captain, has been eliminated from the 2025 series of Strictly Come Dancing, becoming the third celebrity to leave the competition. He and his partner Nadiya Bychkova were defeated in a dance-off against EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal and her partner Julian Caillon, after judges were tied and Craig Revel Horwood cast the deciding vote to save Sopal's couple. Despite Robshaw's significant improvement and praise from judges for his lifts and confidence on the dancefloor, he scored lower than Sopal, who had a higher technical potential and better scores overall. Robshaw expressed gratitude for the experience, crediting the show for boosting his confidence, while Bychkova praised his progress from a non-dancer to someone who loves performing. The change in the judging rule this year, where the deciding vote rotates instead of always falling to head judge Shirley Ballas, played a key role in this outcome. The elimination sparked debate about the fairness of the dance-off, especially considering Sopal's consistent mid-table scores and technical ability compared to Robshaw's.