Strictly Come Dancing professional Nikita Kuzmin has shared an emotional tribute to his former partner Dani Dyer, after the Love Island star was forced to withdraw from the competition before performing her first routine. Dyer, 29, revealed on Tuesday that she fractured her ankle during a rehearsal fall last Friday.
In a statement on Instagram, Dyer explained: “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.”
Kuzmin responded with an Instagram post of his own, sharing behind-the-scenes rehearsal snaps and writing: “So so gutted to have finished our journey before it even properly started. The amount of laughs and fun we had in this short time was unbelievable. Really loved our partnership and hope that one day we can actually get to week 1 lol but, health is the most important thing. I'm wishing you the absolute best Dani, you're so lovely, positive and a wonderful human being. And it breaks my heart knowing how excited you were to do your absolute best on the show!”
Dyer later posted an emotional video thanking fans for their support, saying she would take a few days off social media to process the setback. She was among the 15 celebrities unveiled during the launch show on Saturday, where she was paired with Kuzmin. It is unclear whether a replacement will be drafted in or if the competition will continue with 14 contestants.
