Delta Goodrem has been forced to pull out of Strictly Come Dancing's Icons Week after sustaining a rib injury. The 41-year-old singer, who topped the leaderboard last weekend, will miss Saturday's live show.
Injury forces withdrawal
In a statement posted on Strictly's official Instagram, Goodrem said: "I'm absolutely gutted that a rib injury means I won't be able to dance on Strictly this week. I've been loving every second of this experience, so having to sit this out is heartbreaking- especially after the height of Saturday night."
She added: "I can not tell you how much I love being a part of this magical show. I'm going to focus on resting and recovering, and hopefully, I'll be back on that dancefloor very soon."
Support from cast
Messages of support flooded in from fellow contestants and professionals. Dani Dyer commented: "Sending you so much love, Delta, and healing energy. We will see you soon." Lauren Oakley said, "Get well soon, can't wait to have you back," while Alexis Warr added, "Hope you recover well and quickly, can't wait to see you back on the floor shining."
Leaderboard and elimination
Goodrem's Salsa earned her a score of 33, securing the top position on the leaderboard, with Tabby Stoecker and Cach Mercer close behind on 31. At the bottom, Melanie Waltz and Shaun Wright-Phillips faced the dance-off, with judges sparing Shaun and eliminating Melanie.
Reflecting on her departure, Melanie said: "To tell you the truth, no word of a lie, I thought I was going to be out last week, so I've had an extra week with this beautiful soul." Aljaz added: "It's difficult to put into words, and if I was ever going to say something really profound and beautiful, it wasn't going to be looking like this. Look, you're an ultimate professional in what you do; that's why you're so successful at what you do."
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturdays on BBC One from 6:15pm.
