Forced to Bow Out
Nigel Harman has left Strictly Come Dancing fans devastated after announcing his departure from the show just hours before the quarter-finals. The Casualty and EastEnders actor, who was once tipped to win the 2023 series, had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury.
No Elimination
Harman's exit means there will be no elimination on December 2. The remaining celebrity contestants – Ellie Leach, Annabel Croft, Layton Williams, and Bobby Brazier – will all be safe and proceed to the following week.
Favorites to Win
Shortly after Strictly returned to screens in September, Harman and his partner Katya Jones were touted as the favorites to win the series. They impressed viewers with their routines and consistently received good scores from the judges.
No Comment from Nigel Harman
Harman has not commented on his Strictly exit, but he did repost the BBC's official statement on his Instagram story. The statement expressed that due to his injury, Harman is unable to perform and has had to withdraw from the show.
Disappointment and Hard Work
According to a source, Harman and Jones were disappointed as they were hoping to stay in the competition. They had not been in the bottom two and had a real chance of making it to the finals. Harman had been training hard and throwing himself into rehearsals.
About Katya Jones
Katya Jones is a dancer who has been a part of the Strictly cast since 2016. She has previously won the show with actor Joe McFadden in 2017. Jones has had to drop out of Strictly before, including in 2020 when she tested positive for Covid-19 and in 2022 when her partner Tony Adams suffered an injury.
In a 2020 interview, Jones' ex-husband and Strictly co-star Neil Jones revealed how they battled to save their relationship after she was caught kissing her celebrity dance partner on the show in 2018. Jones has since been linked to property mogul and footballer William Abbotts, but it was reported in October 2023 that they had split.
