Dani Dyer's Strictly Come Dancing exit leaves bosses 'bereft' as new problem looms

Producers are said to have been "bereft" when they found out that Dani Dyer was withdrawing from this year's Strictly Come Dancing. It was announced yesterday that she will not be competing after sustaining an injury in a rehearsal.

Dani, 29, and her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin, 27, have both expressed disappointment. They had been unveiled as one of the pairings on the latest series last week and the news of her departure comes ahead of the first live show, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday night.

It's now been reported that bosses are "gutted" over losing Dani from the line-up. It's claimed that the Love Island winner had been seen as the "perfect tonic" for the BBC show, which has faced various scandals in recent years.

READ MORE: Strictly's Shirley updates on Dani Dyer replacement 'It's a scramble behind the scenes'

READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing pro calls for shake-up as he says 'it's unfair'

A source the Daily Mail that bosses are "absolutely gutted" to lose Dani who was "key" for the new series. They said that she is "wonderful," before describing her as the "loveliest person" who didn't cause any "drama" or "stress".

Producers are said to have been "sure" that viewers who weren't familiar with Dani would "love her" on the new series, according to the source. They went on to tell the outlet: "She wasn't just a contestant but was regarded as a turning point for Strictly - so her departure is a travesty."

The source continued by saying ahead of the live show: "It's a case of: 'Why can't anything go right for the show?' We thought we had it nailed this year: Dani was exactly the person to regain the entertainment value of the show."

Since it was announced that Dani was withdrawing from Strictly, there's been speculation over whether she will be replaced. According to the Daily Mail, the decision is yet another issue for producers behind-the-scenes.

Sources reportedly told the outlet that any stand-in is "very much up in the air" which is said to leave the show with another problem to address. No replacement has been announced as of yet and it's possible that there may not be one.

It's been suggested that if someone is added to the line-up they would have missed out on training. The outlet further teases that if producers do introduce a new contestant, they may then not appear on this weekend's show.

The speculation comes after it was announced yesterday that Dani has withdrawn. She said in a statement: "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 l'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."

Sarah James, executive producer at BBC Studios, said at the time: "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."

Nikita has since issued a statement himself. In a post on Instagram earlier this evening that included behind-the-scenes photos of Dani, he wrote: "So so gutted to have finished our journey before it even properly started. The amount of laughs and fun we had in this short time was unbelievable!

"Really loved our partnership and hope that one day we can actually get to week 1 lol but, heath is the most important thing. I'm wishing you the absolute best [Dani]. You're so lovely, positive and a wonderful human being!"

Nikita concluded by writing in his post tonight: "And it breaks my heart knowing how excited you were to do your absolute best on the show! Hopefully we can pick up next year :) Love from #danita or #dakita or #Nani (WE ACTUALLY HAVENT DECIDED ON THE TEAM NAME IN TIME)."

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Threads.

READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2026 and where to buy tickets now