Katya Jones was rehearsing alone at the Strictly Come Dancing studios before news broke that Nigel Harman had been forced to quit the show - and she was spotted looking fraught while on the phone at the iconic TV studios.
The 34-year-old professional dancer had been quickly stepping her way towards success in the long-running BBC dance contest after being paired with 50-year-old soap star Nigel. But disaster struck on Saturday - hours before the quarter-finals of the 2023 contest - as it was revealed Nigel had been injured and was thus forced to walk away from the show.
With Nigel forced to quit, it meant Katya too had to exit the series early - and her dream of reaching a live final was dashed. But hours before the announcement, it seemed Katya was as in the dark about Nigel’s health issue as the rest of the world.
The Russian dance star was on site at Elstree Studios where Strictly is filmed and was hard at work rehearsing and perfecting her dance routine while waiting for Nigel to arrive. She was spied wearing a long-sleeved black top and bright pink and black leggings while at the studio - matching her outfit with a pair of biker boot-style jazz shoes.
Katya Jones looked tense on the phone soon before news broke she had to drop out of Strictly Come Dancing (JAMES CURLEY AND MAGICMOMENTSUK)
She was forced to leave the show because dance partner Nigel Harman suffered an injury (JAMES CURLEY AND MAGICMOMENTSUK)Before news broke that Nigel had been injured, Katya was seen pacing outside the rehearsal studio while she had her mobile phone stuck to her ear. It is unclear if this was the moment Nigel was being forced to quit the show - bringing their dance dream to a premature end - but she soon dropped into a squat, almost falling to the floor, as a look of concern crossed her face.
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An official BBC spokesperson announced the news of Nigel and Katya’s departure just hours before the quarter-final episode was due to air. The spokesperson confirmed: “Unfortunately Nigel has sustained an injury which means he is unable to perform in tonight’s show and has had to withdraw from Strictly.”
The official Strictly Come Dancing Instagram account also shared the shocking news. They wrote: “Unfortunately, Nigel Harman and Katya Jones have had to withdraw from the competition. We wish Nigel a speedy recovery and they both will be very much missed by our entire Strictly family.”
The duo appeared on the show on Saturday where Nigel explained his injury. He told show host Claudia Winkelman: "I was leaping off a rostrum and was about to be caught by some very handsome men and as I flew, I ‘Peter Panned’ as I landed and I was in A&E. So I’ve done something to my rib, basically and it’s quite painful. I’m a little bit high on painkillers as well, but I’m having a lovely time."
Nigel also explained he had been "avoiding" Katya all day as he feared it would make his exit from the series too "real" - and the duo struggled to look at each other while on the show, as they became too emotional. When they finally did lock eyes, they were reduced to tears in emotional scenes.
The departure of Nigel and Katya at such a critical juncture in the competition hits extra hard as they both had reason to be extra excited for the quarter-finals - which have a musical theme. Appearing on the companion show, It Takes Two, on Friday night, the pair expressed their excitement over reaching the quarter-finals. Show host Fleur East pointed out the fact that Katya hadn’t made it this far in the contest in Strictly history. She said: "Nigel, this is the furthest Katya has got in six years...", and asked if he was determined to go all the way to the final.
Nigel replied: "I'm just glad that people get to see her dance in colour because that last time it was still in black-and-white television" with Katya joking: "It was so long ago!" Nigel added: "It's brilliant for her, it's brilliant for us, it's Musicals Week as well, which for me, is a great week. I love musicals! We just feel really grateful to be here."
Sharing more details of his love for musicals, Nigel mentioned that the form of entertainment reminds him of his late parents. The TV star was encouraged into acting by his loving parents Derek and Maureen Hardman who loved musicals themselves. Maureen tragically died when Nivel was just 18 and Derek sadly lost his life following a battle with leukaemia in 2006.
Reflecting on his parents and their influence on his love for entertainment, Nigel said: “My parents loved musicals and were heavily involved in amateur dramatics in the Croydon area. Their love of it fell onto me and it’s been the same ever since. I’ve never been able to shake it. I just love musicals. I love the singing and dancing and the heightened emotions of it.”
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