Dame Sarah Storey Bows Out of Strictly, and Her Goodbye to Julian Caillon Hints at a Very On-Brand Next Adventure

She has 19 Paralympic golds, but Dame Sarah Storey's last Strictly moment was all about someone else.

Sarah Storey breaks silence on Strictly exit with emotional message after 'sabotage' claims https://t.co/ZYHhvdtIDp pic.twitter.com/BJG9M3Rogd

— Standard News (@standardnews) October 19, 2026

Storey and her professional partner Julian Caillon became the third couple to leave Strictly Come Dancing 2026 on Sunday, Oct. 18, after an Icons Week dance-off against Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu, BBC Newsround reports. Soon after, she posted a heartfelt thank-you to Julian.

The dance-off

Sarah and Julian scored 21 on Saturday for their Tango to Shania Twain's "That Don't Impress Me Much," with Sarah channeling Shania herself, Newsround and the Express report. Bethany and Nancy scored 27 for their Cha Cha to Aretha Franklin's "Respect."

In the dance-off, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all voted to save Bethany and Nancy, and head judge Shirley Ballas said she would have done the same, according to Newsround.

The judges were kind about Sarah's journey. "I did think Sarah improved," Anton said, according to the Manchester Evening News. Shirley added: "Oh, she's come great strides from the very, very beginning. But I think she gets too in her own head, she's a little bit tough on herself."

Her goodbye to Julian

Sarah's first Instagram post after her exit was a love letter to her partner, the MEN reports:

"Thank you for being the best pro I could have ever wished for @julian_caillon you really are a wonderful and fabulous human and I so loved our time on the show."

Thank you for being the best pro I could have ever wished for

Julian replied: "So proud of you and how much you've grown as a dancer!! Have loved spending time together, having a boogie and can't wait to get some more rides in," the Express reports. Amy Dowden and Nancy Xu sent love in the comments, as did 2011 runner-up Chelsee Healey, according to the MEN.

Speaking on Strictly: Lights Up, Sarah admitted she was disappointed: "I'm also disappointed that I don't get to bring it on Monday to try and do the same again," she said, as reported by the Express.

The twist: a bike ride is on the cards

Look closer at her post and there's a sweet P.S.: "Shorter than we wished for, I will miss not learning a new dance with you tomorrow and trying to put all the tips and feedback into practice PS I love your idea of a bike ride," she wrote, per the MEN. Julian's reply about "more rides" suggests the pair are swapping the ballroom for the road. Who better to take a dance partner cycling than a Paralympic cycling legend?

A legend on and off the dance floor

Sarah is Britain's most decorated Paralympian, with 30 Paralympic medals, including 19 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze, according to her BBC Strictly profile. She won her first gold at 14 as a swimmer and her last at 46 as a cyclist, and announced her retirement in July 2025, the BBC says. Her medals aren't in a fancy cabinet either: they're kept in socks, in special pouches made by her mum.

She is also the first Dame to compete on Strictly, and she signed up partly for her daughter. "My daughter [...] is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world, is incredibly motivating!" she said when she joined, per the BBC Media Centre.

Strictly is back on Saturday, Oct. 24, on BBC One from 6.30pm. See who's left in Strictly 2026 and how to vote.