Strictly Come Dancing stars have been left “in tears” as Nigel Harman unexpectedly quit the BBC show.
Professional dancers and former contestants of the 2023 season expressed shock and sadness at the news that former EastEnders actor Nigel and his dance partner Katya Jones had to leave the competition just hours before the quarter-final. The surprise exit was due to 50-year-old soap star Nigel suffering an injury, which meant he and 34-year-old Katya couldn’t participate in the live show set to air that evening (Saturday, December 2).
This unfortunate event has cost them a shot at the Glitterball Trophy. The unexpected news came just hours before the live show, causing chaos behind the scenes of the BBC series. Show bosses are reportedly unsure how to proceed with the results show airing on Sunday (December 3)
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An official BBC spokesperson confirmed the news of Nigel and Katya’s departure, stating: “Unfortunately Nigel has sustained an injury which means he is unable to perform in tonight’s show and has had to withdraw from Strictly.”
(Image: BBC/Kieron McCarron)
The official Strictly Come Dancing Instagram page also shared the news with a statement alongside a photo of the pair. The statement read: “Unfortunately, Nigel Harman and Katya Jones have had to withdraw from the competition. We wish Nigel a speedy recovery and they both will be very much missed by our entire Strictly family.”
Many Strictly professionals expressed their sadness at the news. Gorka Marquez, who was eliminated second this year after being partnered with presenter Nikita Kanda, reacted by sharing crying emojis. Nadiya Bychkova, who has been in the show group performances and backing dancing, shared sad-faced emojis and a praying hands emoji.
(Image: PA)
Jowita Przysta, who had been paired with Paralympian Jody Cundy but knocked out in week three, also responded with a crying-face emoji alongside a black heart emoji. Angela Rippon – who made it to Blackpool with her dance partner Kai Widdrington – also shared crying-face emojis in response to the news being shared on Instagram.
Over on X, formerly known as Twitter, Channel 4 newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy was among those sharing shock at the news. The star, who was a 2023 contestant and was eliminated in week eight, wrote: “Terrible news. Poor Nigel and Katya – and in musicals week as well which he was so excited about. So sad for a lovely man and amazing dancer.”
Nigel and Katya are the second couple to quit Strictly during the 2023 contest as Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice were forced to quit the show after week five. It Takes Two host Janette Manrara confirmed the news at the time, telling viewers at home: “Unfortunately, due to medical reasons, Amanda will not be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this weekend.”
(Image: No credit)
An official post from Strictly stated: “Amanda Abbington is unable to continue in Strictly Come Dancing and has decided to withdraw from the competition. The show wishes her all the best for the future.”
Amanda was not replaced on the show, and the judges continued to eliminate contestants as standard – after many fans expected no contestant would be sent home in the wake of the news about Amanda’s abrupt exit from the show. Now some viewers are concerned another celeb will be eliminated this weekend even though Nigel and Katya have already bowed out.
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One fan wrote on X/Twitter: “Nigel Harman has had to withdraw from Strictly due to an injury… I wonder if the producers will decide to not send anyone home this week or if they’ll continue on their usual stupid path and not consider that they might run out of finalists.” A show source told the Mirror that even show bosses were unsure how to proceed.
The source said: “It’s a live situation and the logistical details will be revealed on the show this evening… I think it’s fair to report that BBC are unsure if a celebrity will be eliminated tonight.”
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up Daily Star’s editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to starletters@dailystar.co.uk
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
