Strictly Come Dancing star Nick Knowles‘ future on the show is still unknown – just one day before the live show.
The DIY SOS star, 62, will find out later today whether he can dance again or will instead be leaving the BBC competition for good following an injury that forced him to pull out of Movie Week.
Nick will join his fellow celebrity contestants for a studio rehearsal, before revealing if he will dance on Saturday – with contingency plans in place for either scenario.
Despite things looking good as Nick revealed he’s training again on Wednesday, the contestant has been dealt a fresh blow.
Insiders have revealed that Nick will be dancing the Charleston – a style known for it’s twisting steps and leg flicks – as it’s the routine he learned for Movie Week and there is no time to rehearse a new one.
+13
Strictly Come Dancing star Nick Knowles ‘ future on the show is still unknown – just one day before the live show
+13
The DIY SOS star, 62, will find out later today whether he can dance again or will instead be leaving the BBC competition for good following an injury that forced him to pull out of Movie Week
A source told The Mirror: ‘The plan is to rehearse today and Friday and then a final decision will be made about Saturday evening. He is going to try and do the routine he’d already learned for Movie Week.
‘It’s unfortunate it’s a Charleston because it’s very hard to do without lots of knee action, but there is no alternative. Everyone has their fingers crossed for him.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Nick Knowles and Strictly Come Dancing for comment.
The Charleston features a long of leg action, including t’s famous knocky knees and legs flying into the air.
If all goes well and Nick gets permission to dance, he will be performing Rain on the Roof from Paddington 2 with his pro partner Luba Mushtuk.
The comedian, 46, – who is the first blind contestant to take part in the BBC talent show, has been struggling with a nasty winter bug but he’s determined not to let it interfere with his training sessions with professional dance partner Dianne Buswell.
In a video posted on Instagram, Chris said: ‘I’ve had a cold. I’m falling apart, but I’m motoring on because I’m a soldier. But we’re getting through the dance with the song, all the way through, occasionally better than where it was yesterday.’
Dianne added: ‘Before I even arrived here [for training] you messaged me: ‘Oh Di, my throat, my nose, my wrist, my big toe’
+13
Nick reportedly has ‘no alternative’ but to perform the very dance that injured him in the first place, if he gets the green light to take to the floor on Saturday
+13
Elsewhere, Chris McCausland is ‘falling apart’ after being struck down with a cold
+13
The comedian, 46, – who is the first blind contestant to take part in the BBC talent show, has been struggling with a nasty winter bug but he’s determined not to let it interfere with his training sessions with professional dance partner Dianne Buswell
Chris revealed he was just giving his training partner a warning about his cold, saying: ‘I was being considerate. I was just to let you know I’ve got a bug, my throat’s a bit sore, my nose is bunged up, just letting you know in case you want to wear a helmet.’
The pair have been preparing to dance a salsa on ‘Strictly’ this weekend (12-13.10.24) and during an appearance on spin-off show ‘It Takes Two’ this week, Chris revealed they are both covered in bruises because the dance involves a lot of lifts.
He said: ‘It’s been intense. There has been more lifts in it than Canary Wharf! There is tricks and lifts and we are both covered in bruises … She’s [Dianne] had to use make-up to cover up all over her legs so it doesn’t look like I’ve been beating her up … It has been full-on.’
It comes just after Nick revealed a major health update in regards to his future on Strictly on Wednesday.
He shared an update with fans both on his Instagram account and during an appearance on It Takes Two alongside Luba.
In the Instagram video, he told fans: ‘So I’m behind the scenes at It Takes Two and the good news today is that the physios have cleared me to train tomorrow.
+13
It comes just after Nick revealed a major health update in regards to his future on Strictly on Wednesday
Nick Knowles thanks fans for wishes as he reveals health update
‘That’s not an all clear for Saturday yet. I have to see how I get on tomorrow and then a decision will be made on Friday.
‘So, obviously we’ll update you as we go along. But I just wanted to take this moment to say thank you for all the well wishes that I’ve received and encouragement from everybody. And I’m hopeful that I will be dancing on Saturday.’
Then, being interviewed by Janette Manrara during the BBC dance competition’s spin-off show It Takes Two, Nick went into detail about what happened on Friday.
He explained: ‘We’d had a great week learning the dance and we were doing the camera tech rehearsals where the cameras get to see how the dance works and everything.
‘Very last step of the dance I was late getting to where I should and leapt to the position and my one leg stayed still and the rest of me went through.
‘Had a bit of a collapse and realised it wasn’t in a good position. I hurt my knee basically.’
On the bright side, he added: ‘Each day gets a little bit better. On Friday, it looked pretty bad to be honest. Saturday was not so good but I got a scan and so we decided to wait until Monday so we could have a look at that.
‘Monday was a little bit stronger and today I got the see the physios and I’ve had help from all the rehab and physio’s and doctors and they have given me clearance to try and dance tomorrow to train.
+13
In the Instagram video, he told fans: ‘So I’m behind the scenes at It Takes Two and the good news today is that the physios have cleared me to train tomorrow’
+13
The duo confirmed that a final decision will be made on Friday, and Luba told Janette: ‘Tomorrow we will try and we will go gentle and see what we can do and what we can’t and then adjust it’
Nick Knowles reveals how he collapsed during Strictly rehearsal
‘If I train tomorrow then it might not necessarily be the end of it. We will see how I do tomorrow and that is all we can say at the moment.’
The duo confirmed that a final decision will be made on Friday, and Luba told Janette: ‘Tomorrow we will try and we will go gentle and see what we can do and what we can’t and then adjust it.
‘We will take it step-by-step and see what is comfortable and maybe what is feeling uncomfortable. We will create it together.’
It comes after fans worries intensified when he was not included in the list of this week’s songs and dances that are always announced the Wednesday before the next live show.
The show’s Instagram page did say however: ‘We will update with more news on Nick when we have it.’
In accordance with BBC rules the couples can only miss one week due to injury and then they must leave the competition.
Nick also revealed he was ‘gutted’ to have missed out on Strictly last week as he watched Saturday night’s show on crutches.
He wrote on X: ‘Gutted not to be out there with everyone tonight on the dance floor, but still suited up and cheering them on from the sofa!’
+13
Strictly Come Dancing fans have been left baffled over whether Nick Knowles will return to the show amid his injury (pictured with pro partner Luba Mushtuk)
+13
It comes after fans worries intensified when he was not included in the list of this week’s songs and dances that are always announced the Wednesday before the next live show
At the top of the show, hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman updated viewers on the situation as he and his partner partner Luba Mushtuk were granted a free pass to the next round of the competition.
Tess said: ‘As you can see, Nick Knowles and his partner Luba are not here. In rehearsals, Nick sustained an injury and is not able to perform tonight’.
Claudia added: ‘As per the rules of the competition, he will receive a bye into next week’s show.’
Claudia also sent her love to Nick on behalf of the whole team and wished him a ‘speedy recovery’, to which she was met with a round of applause.
Nick was also flooded with well-wishes on his social media. with fans rushing to send him get well soon messages.
Elsewhere, the BBC has vowed to tackle ‘abusive behaviour’ after the Amanda Abbington Strictly bullying scandal.
Amanda’s claims earlier this year threw the broadcaster’s flagship show into crisis, forcing it to launch a probe to limit the damage.
+13
The professional dancer, 34, left the show after his former celebrity partner Amanda, 50, made numerous complaints about his behaviour
Now, BBC Chair Samir Shah said: ‘I cannot emphasise enough that I am fully committed to tackling inappropriate or abusive behaviour.
‘For most of us it is a joy to work for the BBC and that should be the case for everyone.
‘Nobody working in the BBC should ever feel fear or worry while working here.
‘What is clear to me is that we must ensure the BBC is a safe, secure and welcoming workplace for everyone.’
A six-month probe into the star, who is now performing on the Italian version of the show, came to an end on Monday, with Giovanni saying that he hopes to put an ‘extremely difficult’ year behind him.
