Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Taylor has revealed she had to seek medical attention this week after suffering a fall in the woods. The 42-year-old, who hosts Strictly: It Takes Two, opened up about the incident while standing in for new Strictly host Emma Willis on BBC Radio 2 on Saturday (10 October).
After her co-star Sally Boazman described her own week as "a disaster", Ellie admitted she could relate. She said: "I fell over in the woods Sally, I had to go to hospital for my poorly thumb. It's really bad but the bruising doesn't suggest that."
How the fall happened
Explaining how she came to fall, Ellie said she had gone for a run, clarifying that she had not been running in the dark. She continued: "I was in flow state, when you work out and you're really enjoying yourself and sort of not thinking about anything and not looking where I was going and I tripped over a tree root in the middle of the forest."
She added: "I landed on my thumb because I was holding my phone as well." Asked why she had been holding her phone, Ellie explained she had put on the "wrong leggings" and had nowhere else to put it, and did not want to tuck it down her bra.
Defending the new presenting team
Ellie's injury comes after she shared her thoughts on this year's Strictly Come Dancing shake-up. Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, who Ellie previously danced with, and comedian Josh Widdicombe took on presenting duties following the departures of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
While many viewers have praised the trio, others have been less complimentary, particularly about Josh, with some questioning whether he is needed on the show. Speaking to The i Paper, Ellie suggested the criticism could stem from people being reluctant to embrace change, as she praised the new presenters.
"People don't like change," she said. "I think they're great. There's such great energy in that room; they're all so pumped to be there. They'll settle into the roles even better than they already have." She added: "Will everyone just chill out? The key bit of Strictly is the dancing. Let's remember that all the fundamentals are there."
New role on It Takes Two
Ellie has also taken on a new role this year, replacing Janette Manrara and Fleur East as a presenter on Strictly: It Takes Two. She said: "It's such a dream gig for me. It's all the things I love and all the things I'm good at."
Tonight, the remaining 14 couples will take to the dance floor once again, hoping to move one step closer to lifting the Glitterball Trophy. Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight at 6.15pm on BBC One.
