Shania Twain sent Dame Sarah Storey a surprise message hoping she would impress the judges. Moments later, the judges awarded her tango 21 points, the lowest score of the night. The routine’s song was Twain’s own That Don’t Impress Me Much. On BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday 17 October 2026, the title suddenly sounded less like a pop hit and more like a spoiler for the scores.
The setting: Icons Week, not a Shania concert
Strictly Come Dancing pairs British celebrities with professional ballroom and Latin dancers. The fourth competitive week of the 2026 series celebrated musical icons. The BBC One broadcast began at 6.15pm BST on 17 October.
Storey, a highly decorated British Paralympic swimmer and cyclist, danced a tango with professional Julian Caillon. They chose Twain’s country-pop hit and dressed for the week’s tribute theme. A tango asks for a particular grounded, controlled quality; a famous pop song does not automatically supply it.
What happened before the marks appeared?
After the performance, while the couple waited for their scores, a recorded message from Twain appeared. She wished them luck and expressed confidence that they would impress the judging panel. Caillon was delighted that the singer even knew who they were.
Then came three fives and one six: 21 points out of a possible 40. The couple finished bottom of Saturday’s leaderboard. On Sunday 18 October, they landed in the dance-off against Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu. The judges chose to save Bethany and Nancy, ending Storey and Caillon’s run.
Why is the song title the entire joke?
That Don’t Impress Me Much is a cheeky rejection of someone trying too hard to impress. Here the performer who sang that famous line had just urged the judges to be impressed. The judges, without any apparent intention of joining the joke, gave a notably modest score. The song supplied its own review.
There was an earlier layer of irony. During rehearsals, Storey had described struggling with the tango and ruefully noted that the unflattering words in the song coincided with a section she kept getting wrong. The lyric’s sentiment had already become an in-joke about her difficulties before the live show.
Was the song choice responsible for the result?
Some viewers, as reported in the British press, argued that the pop-country track was an awkward fit for tango. The judges’ reported comments focused on matters such as footwork, excessive bounce and the solo passages, while also acknowledging elements of performance and timing.
Those are distinct claims. A viewer may dislike the music selection; the judges scored the dance they saw; Sunday’s elimination followed the combined competition process and a separate dance-off. There is no established evidence that the song alone caused the exit, still less that producers deliberately engineered a failure.
Funny coincidence, genuine effort
The comedy comes from timing and words, not from laughing at Storey. An encouraging message from the actual singer, a song whose title predicts disappointment, and four serious judges add up to a nearly perfect accidental sketch. Meanwhile, the athlete was visibly taking on an unfamiliar challenge, and reported viewer reactions included sadness at the couple’s departure.
The answer
Shania Twain’s message became memorable because her wish to impress the judges collided with a 21-point score — while That Don’t Impress Me Much was literally the music. The title delivered the punchline; the competitors supplied the courage to take the floor.
References (6)
- BBC One broadcast listing, 17 October 2026, Strictly Come Dancing series 24, week 4: https://tv24.co.uk/b/tn2al0-2lxt
- Nicola Methven, 18 October 2026, report on Shania Twain's message and judges' scores: https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/strictly-come-dancing-star-sarah-190004000.html
- Carla Feric / PA Media, The Irish News, 18 October 2026, elimination and judges: https://www.irishnews.com/entertainment/third-couple-eliminated-from-strictly-come-dancing-during-icons-week-EGY7XMAKEJLEPICJJPSJV5KEGI/
- Adam White, The Independent, 18 October 2026, dance-off and scores: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/strictly-come-dancing-week-four-results-show-b3068845.html
- Entertainment Daily, 18 October 2026, attributed viewer reactions: https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/tv/strictly-come-dancing-2026-elimination-dame-sarah-storey-bethany-antonia-dance-off/
- The Sun, 18 October 2026, attributed audience criticism of music selection (claims are opinions, not verified misconduct): https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/40723906/strictly-fans-fury-bosses-sabotage-sarah-storey-song-tango/
