Dani Dyer’s horror injury before Strictly Come Dancing launch show left her in hospital

Fans are excited to see Dani Dyer returning to the ballroom following her early departure from last year’s competition

This year’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up is filled with a variety of celebs, spanning from musicians to sporting stars. One famous face fans are excited to see hit this season’s dancefloor is Dani Dyer, who will be returning to the ballroom following her early departure from last year’s competition.

The Love Island winner and daughter of TV legend Danny Dyer quit the 2025 series following a horror injury after the launch show., with doctors advising her to rest and withdraw from the competition

In June, it was revealed that Dani was ready to make her redemption in the ballroom as she was the second celebrity who would be taking part in this year’s series, following the announcement of EastEnders icon Lacey Turner.

Reacting to the news, Dani said: “I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September!

“I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one!

“I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!”. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter

So, why did Dani withdraw from the 2025 competition?

Following the launch show she informed supporters that she had injured her ankle after falling in rehearsals.

In a statement, 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 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 [Kuzmin] but will of course be watching closely and cheering all the couples on.”

The star quickly received an outpouring of support, with numerous professional dancers from the programme sending messages of encouragement.

During the 2025 series, Dani was partnered with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin. Whether the pair will be reunited for the 2026 series or whether she will be matched with a new professional partner will be revealed during Saturday’s launch show.

You can watch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7.25pm on Saturday, September 19.