Former City favourite signs up for dancing show
Shaun Wright-Phillips is swapping his boots for ballroom shoes. BBC Strictly Come Dancing has confirmed the ex-Manchester City winger will appear on the 24th series later this year.
The 44-year-old was a key part of the City side that won promotion to the Premier League in 2001/02. He won the club's Young Player of the Year award four years running and was named overall Player of the Year in 2004.
That form earned a £21 million move to Chelsea in 2005 — a club-record sale for City at the time. He returned in 2008 and scored twice on his second debut away at Sunderland. He played his part in City's 2011 FA Cup triumph, the club's first major trophy in 35 years.
He retired in 2019 after spells at Queens Park Rangers and in Major League Soccer.
Since then, he has built a prominent second career as a broadcaster across the BBC, Sky Sports and ITV. Now he faces a different kind of spotlight.
Wright-Phillips said:
'Dancing is in my blood – but mainly at family events! Strictly is definitely outside my comfort zone, but I'm super excited to get started and really looking forward to the challenge!'
The show returns this September under new presenters Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, following the departure of long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The judging panel of Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke remains unchanged.
Wright-Phillips becomes the latest ex-City man to trade the Etihad for the dancefloor. Whether his footwork is as sharp as it was on the wing remains to be seen — but the sequins are already on order.