Strictly Come Dancing has been thrown into chaos just days before the first live show, as contestant Dani Dyer has been forced to withdraw after fracturing her ankle during rehearsals. The 29-year-old Love Island winner shared the news in an emotional statement on Instagram, revealing that a fall on Friday led to the injury.
Dani wrote: 'I had a fall on Friday in rehearsals and landed funny. I thought I had rolled my foot but it swelled up badly over the weekend and after an MRI scan yesterday, it turns out I have fractured my ankle. Apparently doing the quickstep on a fracture is not advisable (!!) and the doctors have said I am not allowed to dance so I’ve had to pull out of the show.' She added that she is 'heartbroken' and will miss dancing with her professional partner Nikita Kuzmin.
The BBC show's executive producer, Sarah James, expressed her sadness, saying: 'Dani has brought so much passion, joy and enthusiasm to Strictly, and her partnership with Nikita was off to the most sensational start. Everyone on the show is incredibly sad that she's no longer able to compete.' Fellow contestants and judges, including Amy Dowden, Tasha Ghouri, Shirley Ballas and Johannes Radebe, also sent their well-wishes.
It remains unclear whether Dani will be replaced, as the first live show is imminent. In previous years, the BBC has drafted in new contestants when a star pulls out before the series begins, such as when Kelvin Fletcher replaced Jamie Laing and went on to win. Dani had been paired with Ukrainian professional Nikita Kuzmin, and the couple appeared together in Saturday's pre-recorded launch show.
Just days before her injury, Dani had dismissed concerns about the 'Strictly curse', insisting her husband, West Ham footballer Jarrod Bowen, was 'so chill' about her participation. The couple married earlier this year. Dani rose to fame winning Love Island in 2018 alongside ex-boyfriend Jack Fincham.
