Ross King says ‘my heart goes out’ to Dani Dyer-Bowen after Strictly exit

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Ross King has said his “heart goes out” to Dani Dyer-Bowen after she was forced to pull out of the show due to injury.

Love Island winner Dyer-Bowen, who was paired with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, said she was “heartbroken” as she announced she is unable to compete after fracturing her ankle during rehearsals.

Entertainment presenter King told ITV1’s Lorraine on Wednesday: “My heart goes out to her. We sent a little text back and forth yesterday. I just can’t believe that it’s happened.

“But it just shows you, there’s one of the youngest, the fittest – great dancer as well – and then on Friday she rolled her ankle a little bit.

“She’s doing the quickstep with Nikita, who’s a brilliant dancer as well, and rolled her ankle. Then thought ‘well this has swollen up over the weekend’, and had an MRI, and it’s actually fractured – nothing you can do at all.”

Describing Dyer-Bowen as a “lovely, lovely, lovely young lady”, King agreed with host Lorraine Kelly that she might be able to return for another series of the dancing show.

“I’m sure they’d love to have her back,” he said.

“I think what’s interesting about this, it lets people at home know – much as it’s a TV show, much as we’re all loving the training, but it is eight hours a day, and there is a lot to it.

“She was so looking forward to it.”

Dyer-Brown, 29, told her Instagram followers she will take “a few days off my socials” to process her departure and will eventually return to set to cheer on the remaining cast.

Apparently holding back tears, she said in the video on Tuesday evening: “Hi guys, I’m going to do this, and try and do this without crying, but yeah, I’m so heartbroken, like I’ve not felt like this in such a long time.

“I was having the best time ever… It’s just (a) very, very annoying, devastating thing that I’m kind of going through right now, but I’m probably just going to have a few days off my socials just to, you know, process things.

“I just want to thank you all so much for all your love and support. But yeah, I’m gutted, I’m absolutely gutted.”

Everyone at Strictly “is absolutely amazing” and “I’m going to miss them all so much”, she said, adding: “I will eventually obviously come along and cheer them all on.”

In a statement shared earlier on Tuesday, she said: “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.”

After the news was announced on the show’s Instagram account, head judge Shirley Ballas replied: “I’m so so sorry. But health is most important. Get well soon Angel.”

Professional dancer Amy Dowden said: “Sending you so much love and a speedy recovery.”

The TV star’s father, the actor Danny Dyer, posted a broken heart emoji.

The 23rd series of the hit BBC One show kicked off on Saturday night.