"Dancing is in my blood — but mainly at family events." That's Shaun Wright-Phillips summing up his Strictly Come Dancing debut before it's even started, and it's exactly the kind of self-aware honesty that should make him decent television.
BBC Strictly has confirmed the former Manchester City and England winger as a contestant on the show's 24th series, launching this September. He joins a revamped lineup under new presenters Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe — Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are out after years at the helm. The judging panel of Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke stays put.
A career worth remembering before the sequins arrive
It's easy to forget just how good Wright-Phillips was at his peak. He won City's Young Player of the Year four years running, then took the overall Player of the Year award in 2004. That earned him a £21 million move to Chelsea in 2005 — a club-record sale for City at the time.
His return in 2008 produced a brace on his second debut, away at Sunderland. He went on to play his part in City's 2011 FA Cup win — the club's first major trophy in 35 years. Over 170 appearances across two spells. Not a cameo, a career.
Since retiring in 2019 after stints at QPR and in MLS, he's carved out a solid second act in broadcasting across the BBC, Sky Sports and ITV. The man is used to live television. Whatever nerves the Strictly dancefloor throws at him, he's been in worse pressure situations — like a City derby at the Etihad with a game on the line.
What this means beyond the ballroom
For a show navigating its biggest format shake-up in years, landing a recognisable former Premier League player with genuine broadcasting credentials is smart casting. Wright-Phillips brings name recognition across football and mainstream audiences simultaneously.
- 170+ Manchester City appearances across two spells
- FA Cup winner in 2011 — City's first major trophy since 1976
- £21 million Chelsea sale in 2005, a City club record at the time
- Retired 2019, now a regular face on BBC, Sky Sports and ITV
"Strictly is definitely outside my comfort zone," he admitted. After what he achieved on a football pitch, that's a sentence you don't hear very often.
