skip to main content

Strictly sees perfect 40 as Nigel Harman and Katya Jones bow out

Nigel Harman and Katya Jones - "loved" working together
Nigel Harman and Katya Jones - "loved" working together

Nigel Harman has said he "loved" his time on Strictly Come Dancing after being forced to withdraw from the competition after injuring his rib while practising a jump in rehearsals.

The Casualty star revealed during the quarter-final show on Saturday that he had been taken to A&E after he fell and that it had not quite "sunk in" that he would not be performing anymore.

The musical-themed episode also saw screen and theatre star Layton Williams score the first perfect 40 of the series, but due to Harman's departure the show will have no public vote or elimination this weekend.

Hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly clarified during the show that the judges' scores for the dances would be carried over to next week.

The results show on Sunday evening will see the professional dancers perform a routine from My Fair Lady and the singer Joss Stone will sing This Time from the new musical The Time Traveller's Wife.

Harman and his professional partner Katya Jones were due to perform a Charleston to Step in Time from Disney's Mary Poppins before it was announced on Saturday afternoon that he would no longer compete due to the injury.

Appearing on the show alongside Jones, Harman told host Claudia Winkleman: "I was leaping off a rostrum and was about to be caught by some very handsome men and as I flew, I was Peter Pan and as I landed, I was in A&E.

"I've done something to my rib basically and it's quite painful. I'm a little bit high on painkillers as well, but I'm having a lovely time."

Reflecting on his time on the show, he added: "I've loved it and I am loving it. It's too soon to say loved.

"And this hasn't really sunk in. When I watched everyone come down the stairs I was like, 'Oh, this is real. I'm not part of this anymore' and that's quite sad. I've been avoiding Kat all day, as that makes it really real as well."

The actor also praised Jones, saying: "The only reason I'm standing here is because of all the work you've put into me.

"You challenge me, you push me, you support me, you make me laugh. And then you do extraordinary things on the floor with choreography and creativity. But most of all, you're just part of me now."

An emotional Jones said she had "absolutely loved every moment of us creating magic on a dancefloor", adding: "I know the reasons you did this, for your daughter and for your parents and especially missing out on this number, I know your parents would be very, very proud of you.

"And I hope you got something out of this that you're going to cherish forever in your broken rib."

The show then played a montage of clips of his time on the show.

Elsewhere in the episode, Williams performed a dramatic paso doble to Backstage Romance from Moulin Rouge! The Musical with his partner Nikita Kuzmin for a perfect score of 40.

Actress Ellie Leach placed second with a score of 36 for her theatrical quickstep to the song Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

Actor Bobby Brazier soared to new heights with his dance partner Dianne Buswell as they took on the classic Dirty Dancing lift during their musicals week routine.

The couple danced the salsa to the song (I've Had) The Time of My Life from the 1987 film, which landed them a score of 34.

Former tennis star Annabel Croft and her partner Johannes Radebe followed closely behind with a score of 33 for their emotional foxtrot to the track For Good from the musical Wicked.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One.

Source: Press Association

Click here for more television news.

Read Next