BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing will still have a celebrity elimination this weekend, despite Robert Webb quitting Strictly due to ill-health.
Strictly confirmed the news to RadioTimes.com, with the remaining Strictly Come Dancing 2021 line-up vying for the public vote as normal this weekend.
Webb announced he was quitting the primetime dance contest on Wednesday, alongside his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell.
“Robert has made the decision to withdraw from the competition due to ill health,” Strictly announced on Twitter.
In a statement, Webb said: “Two years ago I had open heart surgery and although I believed I was fit enough to take on Strictly and its demanding schedule, it became clear that I had bitten off way more than I could chew for this stage in my recovery.
“I had begun to feel symptoms that led me to seek an urgent consultation with my heart specialist, and it was her view that it would be better for the sake of my health to step back from the show.”
He added that he was “proud” of the three dances he’d performed with Buswell, and said he deeply regretted “having to let her down like this”.
“I leave knowing that Strictly viewers are in very safe hands and I’ll be cheering for my brother and sister contestants all the way to Christmas. Despite this sad ending, it has been a genuine honour to be part of this huge, joyful and barking mad TV show. Long may it continue,” he added.
!["Strictly]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/10/Robert-Webb-b45de3e.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Robert-Webb\"")
Buswell added: “As a massive fan of Robert’s, I was delighted to find out that he was joining the Strictly family. On top of this, to find out he was my partner was the icing on the cake. We made a great team, worked hard and had a good laugh along the way. I am so proud of the three amazing dances we produced. I know Robert had a lot more to give to the competition but his health of course comes first and I wish him a speedy recovery. I feel lucky to have danced with him and to call him a friend.”
Ugo Monye will also miss this weekend’s show, after suffering from back problems, but hopes to return at a later date.
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