Kai Widdrington will not perform on Strictly Come Dancing this weekend after falling ill, the BBC has confirmed. Professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec will step in to dance the Argentine Tango with celebrity partner Delta Goodrem on Saturday, November 14.
Illness forces Kai to sit out live show
On Friday, November 13, the BBC announced that Kai would be unable to dance with Delta because of illness. A statement shared on Strictly's official Instagram page read: "Due to illness, Kai is unable to dance on tomorrow night's show. Instead, Aljaž will step in to dance the Argentine Tango with Delta. We're sending Kai all our love and hope he feels better very soon."
Kai's absence follows a week in which Jaime Winstone was unable to perform due to a torn abdominal muscle. In a statement last week, Jaime said: "I am absolutely devastated not to be dancing this weekend due to a torn abdominal muscle. I am in considerable pain, and my doctors have advised complete rest to give my body the best possible chance to heal. As frustrating as it is, I have to put my health first and follow their advice to step away from dancing this week."
Fans send support and Delta's recovery
Supporters quickly shared their best wishes in the comments. One wrote: "Get well soon Kai. I hope your back to dance with Delta next week. Aljaž will do well with Delta this week, then team DeltaKai can be back on the dance floor." Another added: "Get well soon Kai, we're thinking of you."
This is not the first setback for the pair. Delta previously missed a week of performances due to a rib injury, saying at the time: "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 one out is heartbreaking - especially after the high of Saturday night."
After her absence during Icons Week, Delta and Kai returned with a Rumba that secured the series' first perfect 10. This weekend, Delta and Aljaž are set to perform an Argentine Tango to Missing by Everything but the Girl, with their progression to Blackpool Week still undecided. Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
