Strictly Come Dancing contestant Graeme Hall was compelled to hang up his dancing shoes in 2019 following a devastating stroke.
The professional dog trainer, who is often seen on This Morning, was taken to hospital urgently, where medical staff identified a hole in his heart requiring surgical intervention.
Throughout his rehabilitation, the television personality worried his dancing career had ended, despite having developed a genuine passion for the discipline and participating in numerous smaller competitions.
A Hobby Born in Northampton
He revealed to The Sun at the time: "I'd done a local competition called Strictly Northampton in 2012 and loved it so much that I carried it on as a hobby."
The presenter subsequently took part in regional contests staged in church halls and community venues, though was obliged to cease following his stroke.
He admitted: "I was out of action for quite a while, and I thought it had brought an end to my dancing."
Return to the Ballroom
Seven years later, the dog trainer, renowned for his appearances on Channel 5's Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, is making his return to the celebrated ballroom in this year's line-up, reports the Express.
Graeme has now made a complete recovery and is gearing up to make his dancing introduction on the BBC platform this autumn.
He offered reassurance to supporters: "I'm fine now, but I had to put my dance bag away - now I've got it out of the loft and there's all my kit and practice trousers, so I will be using those soon."
Previous Cardiac Struggles
The 59-year-old isn't the first participant to face difficulties owing to cardiac issues.
In 2021, comedian Robert Webb was compelled to pull out halfway through the 19th series after experiencing symptoms while rehearsing.
During a 2025 interview, he revealed he accepted the Strictly invitation because "these opportunities don't come along very often."
He continued: "And I'd just nearly died, so I thought, 'This is no time to be sitting on the edges. Why don't you contribute and participate?'"
While he was theoretically in "quite good shape", the performer found himself unable to maintain the programme's demanding rehearsal regime.
The comedian confessed: "That schedule is law unto itself, and I just wasn't anywhere close to being able to do that. I don't even know if I could now. I don't think it'd be a very good idea."
This Year's Line-Up
Strictly is scheduled to return to screens next month with its pre-recorded launch programme, during which the celebrities will be paired with their professional partners.
When questioned about his potential partner, Graeme laughed: "I don't care which pro dancer I get because the bottom line is they are all brilliant."
Graeme is preparing to compete alongside his fellow participants, including actor Lacey Turner, singer Delta Goodrem, television personality Dani Dyer, actor Jaime Winstone and footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Rounding out the lineup are celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, Love Island star Cace Mercer, TV presenter Will Best, and House of the Dragon actress Bethany Antonia.
They are joined by Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, Winter Olympic gold medallist Tabby Stoecker, Emmerdale's Lawrence Robb and football content creator John Nellis.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to our screens on Saturday, September 19 at 6:30pm.
