Why did Dani Dyer pull out of Strictly 2025, and was she replaced?

DANI Dyer was forced to quit the 2025 edition of Strictly Come Dancing days before the live shows after injuring her ankle in training. Dani’s exit occurred just as the cast was putting the final polish on their first live dances. Dani Dyer is ready to take another shot at the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom in 2026 Credit: PA Dani and Nikita ahead of the 2025 series – before disaster struck Credit: Instagram / @nikita__kuzmin She had taken part in the launch show — filmed ahead of transmission — where her partnership with Nikita was revealed to viewers. The plan was to hit the floor the following weekend, but the fracture meant she never made it to that first live Saturday night. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! It was a tough blow for Dani and Nikita, who were ready to kick off the series with a crowd-pleasing ballroom number. Why did Dani Dyer pull out of Strictly 2025? Dani suffered a nasty ankle injury during rehearsals and was forced to withdraw on medical advice. She fell during a Friday training session, her foot swelled over the weekend, and a hospital scan confirmed a fracture, leaving doctors with no choice but to bench her for the series. The timing was brutal, coming just days before the first live show after she’d already filmed the pre-recorded launch episode where her pro partner was revealed. In an emotional update to fans, Dani explained that continuing would have risked exacerbating the injury. She’d been gearing up for a fast ballroom routine in week one, but admitted taking to the floor with a fracture simply wasn’t possible. Most read in News TV The Love Island winner said she was gutted to walk away so close to the live shows after throwing herself into training. What did Dani say about quitting? The TV favourite struggled to hold back tears as she confirmed her exit, calling it “heartbreaking” to bow out before she’d had the chance to perform live. She also thanked viewers for their support and said she’d be cheering the remaining couples on from the sofa while she focused on healing up. Dani was particularly disappointed not to get her shot with pro partner Nikita Kuzmin after their pairing was unveiled on the launch show, saying she’d hoped to make her mark on the ballroom that year. What did Nikita Kuzmin say? Credit: Instagram / @nikita__kuzmin Nikita broke his silence with a heartfelt message to fans and to Dani, praising her effort in the training room and saying he was proud of how hard she’d worked before the injury struck. He admitted he was “gutted” to lose his celebrity partner so close to week one, and hinted he’d love the chance to dance with Dani in the future when she’s fit again. In a further update, Nikita suggested the door wasn’t closed on Dani appearing later once she was fully recovered. Was Dani Dyer replaced in 2025? The BBC later confirmed that Amber Davies would step into the Strictly 2025 line-up after Dani’s shock withdrawal. Love Island winner Amber Davies replaced Dani Dyer Credit: Splash Amber won Love Island in 2017 and has since established a successful stage career, starring in West End hits such as 9 to 5: The Musical and Pretty Woman: The Musical. Thrown straight in at the deep end, Amber made her Strictly debut in the 2025 series’ first live show. She and Nikita performed a Waltz in the hope of getting their scores on the board and settling those first-night nerves. Why Dani Dyer is back for Strictly 2026 Dani is officially getting a second chance on Strictly Come Dancing, making a dramatic return to the ballroom for this year’s series. After months of rest, rehabilitation, and medical checks, doctors gave her the green light to take to the floor. Viewers can look forward to seeing her finally experience her first live Saturday night performance, hopefully dodge early elimination, and battle for the Glitterball trophy as originally planned. Nikita Kuzmin is officially returning to the pro lineup for the 2026 series, making a reunion with Dani entirely possible. But all celebrity-pro pairings are being kept under wraps until the launch show airs, so fans will have to wait and see if they get another shot together.