Katya Jones' excited message before Nigel Harman's Strictly Come Dancing exit

02 December 2023 , 15:57

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Katya Jones' excited message before Nigel Harman's Strictly Come Dancing exit

Katya Jones shared an exciting update just hours before it was announced that her partner Nigel Harman has been forced to quit Strictly Come Dancing.

A statement from the BBC on Saturday read: "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 shocking news was prefaced by an uplifting post from Katya, suggesting the decision for the EastEnders actor to quit was made this afternoon.

"Here we goooo!" the 34-year-old captioned her latest Instagram Story, which included a dazzling photo of the Strictly Come Dancing logo with its Musicals Week sign ahead of tonight's Quarter Finals. The picture also tagged all of the celebrity couples competing for a place in the final; Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola, Leyton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin, and Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe.

Nigel Harman has quit Strictly after an injury (PA)

Kayta and Nigel were due to dance the Charleston to Step in Time from Mary Poppins on tonight's show, and had been sharing snippets of their rehearsals for their theatrical performance all week. They also shared their mutual excitement over the wholesome Musicals Week, which was introduced to Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.

"I just musicals and I love the singing and dancing, I love the heightened emotion of it all," Nigel said on Strictly: It Takes Two last week, before dropping hints about what viewers could expect from their Quarter Finals dance. "We've got a banger this week. It's full on showbiz. Four backing dancers, split levels, leaps and carrying and we are flying around that I end up needing oxygen every time we do it." Nigel, 50, even said there would be "smoke coming out of chimneys," promising "a high budget" spectacle to keep audiences at home entertained. Katya also gave fans something to look forward to, comparing their upcoming Musicals Week choreography to a West End act and adding, "It's like this little production. We didn't look at it like just another number."

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Despite only scoring a 33 with their Rumba to Celine Dion's It's All Coming Back To Me Now last week, Katya and Nigel sailed their way into the Quarter Finalists after wowing voters at home with their impressive footwork. The Russian choreographer took to Instagram after the results to express her gratitude for their fanbase with the following message: "We are under no illusion that we are still here because of your support, love, encouragement and belief. Oh, and Nigel Harman’s arms. We are so utterly grateful. And for me, as much as I love teaching dance- I love creating routines for you to enjoy. When I choreograph, I always have you -the audience on my mind. And aren’t I lucky to have a partner who brings them to life with such flare."

Emma Dooney