Dani Dyer’s Strictly exit prompts replacement scramble as Shirley Ballas reveals call and plan

Dani Dyer has withdrawn from this year’s Strictly Come Dancing after fracturing her ankle during a training rehearsal last Friday, the BBC ballroom competition confirmed. The development, first reported by the Daily Mail, leaves producers with a vacancy as the show presses on with live performances and navigates how to fill the dancer slot without compromising the format.

Dyer announced in a statement that she fell during rehearsals and that an MRI confirmed the injury, ruling out further dancing for the season. In her words, she described the incident as follows: “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. To say I’m heartbroken is the biggest understatement. I am so going to miss dancing with Nikita but will of course be watching closely and cheering all the couples on.”

Shirley Ballas, the show’s head judge, discussed the situation on This Morning with hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, saying she spoke to the executive producer about a replacement and that the team is “hustling and bustling to see what they can do.” She added that the program is “a dancer down,” and that producers may have to adjust the format to accommodate the loss, noting: “We’re a dancer down. So, either, someone won’t go home the first week or something like that. But let’s hope that someone else will get the opportunity.” She emphasized that Dyer’s talent and energy had made her a favorite since the outset, describing the contestant as “all sparkle” and recounting that she had sustained a hairline fracture.

The news comes after Dani Dyer, 29, was widely viewed as one of Strictly’s rising stars, and she is the daughter—and namesake—of beloved actor Danny Dyer. The incident occurred before she had the chance to perform any routine this season. In a separate statement, Sarah James, the executive producer for BBC Studios, thanked Dani for the passion she brought to the show. “Dani has brought so much passion, joy and enthusiasm to Strictly, and her partnership with Nikita was off to the most sensational start. Everyone on the show is incredibly sad that she’s no longer able to compete in this year’s series. We send her all our love and best wishes for a swift recovery, and we very much hope to welcome her back to the ballroom in the future.”

Reaction from colleagues and fans followed quickly, with many co-stars and professional dancers extending messages of support to Dyer as the production weighs how to proceed. The Daily Mail reported that producers are exploring options to keep the competition balanced, including the possibility of not eliminating a contestant in the first week or rearranging the schedule to cover the vacancy.

The broader Strictly Come Dancing landscape for 2025 includes a diverse lineup ranging from Olympic athletes to actors and reality-television personalities. The official rollout highlighted participants such as Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Alex Kingston, Balvinder Sopal, La Voix, Thomas Skinner, Vicky Pattison, Karen Carney, George Clarke, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ellie Goldstein, Chris Robshaw, Stefan Dennis, Ross King, and Lewis Cope, among others. The slate underscores the show’s aim to blend sport, entertainment and storylines while navigating the loss of a high-profile contestant in Dani Dyer.

The production team is expected to continue evaluating replacement options in the coming days, with insiders noting that decisions on who might fill in will weigh the integrity of the competition against the practical realities of rehearsals and scoring in the early weeks. For now, Dani Dyer’s fans will wait for updates on her recovery and for a sense of how the show plans to honor her contribution while maintaining the trajectory of the current season.