Head judge Shirley Ballas has admitted BBC bosses are scrambling at the 11th hour to solve the problem of Dani Dyer's sudden drop out.
Shirley has shared an update after Dani Dyer was forced to quit Strictly Come Dancing The Love Island winner, 29.,withdrew from the new series of the BBC programme before the live shows have even launched after suffering a fractured ankle in rehearsals.
Now, head judge Shirley Ballas, 65, who is back on the panel alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse, has broken her silence on the whole thing as she revealed she had such high hopes for the TV star when it was revealed she had signed up.
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During an appearance on Wednesday's This Morning, she told hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard: "I know her work ethic and when she got onto Strictly I thought 'They don't know what's hit them!' This young lady is all sparkle, and of course, yesterday, she fell on her ankle, or twisted it, she has a hairline fracture, so she's out.
"I spoke to her yesterday and she's mortified and devastated but as I said to her, she could come back next year. You know like Jamie Laing did, and he made the final."
But Shirley admitted that bosses are scrambling behind the scenes to figure out what to do next, as she hinted that it is likely that there will be no initial elimination.
She added: "I did speak to the executive producer [about a replacement] to try to get an answer for you and they're hustling and bustling to see what they can do, we're a dancer down. So, either, someone won't go home the first week or something like that. But let's hope that someone else will get the opportunity."
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