Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole has shared his thoughts on 2023 star Nigel Harman’s shock exit.
Actor Nigel and partner Katya Jones were forced to quit the glitzy BBC One show at the weekend, just hours before the live show. It was confirmed that Nigel had picked up an injury, bringing his time on Strictly to an early end.
But now, Brendan appears to have taken a bit of a swipe at a remaining couples on the show – after they escaped elimination thanks to Nigel’s injury.
Strictly 2023 star Nigel quits BBC show
Strictly fans were left gutted at the weekend when it was confirmed that Nigel had to quit the competition.
The ex-EastEnders actor made an appearance on the live show on Saturday (December 2). He said: “I’ve loved it, I am loving it. It’s too soon to say loved. When I watched everyone coming down the stairs, I was like: ‘Oh this is real, I’m not part of this any more.’ That was quite sad,” he then added.
Nigel’s abrupt Strictly exit meant that no couple left this week. As a result, on the results show on Sunday (December 3) there was no dance-off and no elimination.
Strictly pro says ‘another couple got lucky’
Speaking about Nigel’s exit, on behalf of Sky Bingo, Brendan exclusively told ED!: “It does feel a little bit empty without Nigel and Katya there because they were potential winners.”
As for whether Nigel would have gott the boot this week had he not left, Brendan was quick to dish out a cryptic dig to another Strictly couple.
I have no doubt that they would have gone on to the final.
“Another couple got lucky!” Brendan quipped. He went on: “I don’t think Nigel or Katya would have been going anywhere. The pair of them are too likeable.
“I’ve said it from the start, he’s kind of the housewives’ favourite to win, if you think about him as a personality. Katya herself is a big personality within the show. She’s a fabulous dancer and a fabulous teacher, so I think they were probably up there for the win along with Ellie [Leach] and Vito [Coppola].”
He added: “The pair of them were doing incredible work. So I have no doubt that they would have gone on to the final.”
It’s unclear who Brendan was talking about, but elsewhere he has commented that Annabel Croft could be in trouble this weekend because she’s dancing a salsa.
‘Emotional’ Nigel and ‘bear with sore head’ claims
It comes after it was reported that Strictly bosses are not too upset that Nigel has left the competition
A source reportedly claimed to The Sun: “Nigel takes himself very seriously as a performer. He throws himself heart and soul into things. So obviously he’s very emotional if things don’t go as he hoped. That often means that he can be like a bear with a sore head backstage.”
The insider added: “Viewers got a glimpse of that when he received disappointing scores in Blackpool. The crew and pros on the show are like a close family. The celebrities are welcomed into that. But if someone upsets that long-standing dynamic it can create bad feeling.
“Despite this everyone on the show also felt huge sympathy for Nigel having to leave the competition under such difficult circumstances.”
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