Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope has been announced as a contestant for Strictly Come Dancing after Game Of Thrones star Kristian Nairn withdrew from the series.
On Thursday, Nairn announced he was stepping away from the 2025 show cast with a “heavy heart” for medical reasons, according to the BBC.
Announcing his participation on BBC One’s The One Show later that day, Cope said the programme had got in contact on Monday asking if he wanted to join this year’s series.
The actor, who plays Nicky Milligan in the soap, said he was walking down Oxford Street on his way to meet a friend when he received the phone call.
Asked how it felt to be joining the series late, Cope said: “I think, if anything, it’s probably helped me because I haven’t really had time to think about it or anything so now the excitement has kind of just taken over.”
“I think it’s probably better for me,” he added.
Cope said he was looking to most impress judge Shirley Ballas out of the show’s panel.
The 30-year-old was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the 2023 National Television awards and has starred in Vera and Miss Sidhu Investigates.
He made his stage debut at 11 years old, playing Michael in the West End hit Billy Elliot: The Musical.
Nairn, 49, is best known for playing Hodor in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, and also starred as Wee John Feeney in the comedy Our Flag Means Death.
In a statement, Nairn said: “I was truly looking forward to the journey, and I’m deeply sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to seeing me on the dance floor.
“Thank you all for your support, and I will be back on my feet very soon, in every sense. Love to all, Kristian.”
Sarah James, executive producer at BBC Studios, said of the actor and DJ: “We’re incredibly sorry to lose him from this year’s series and we all wish him a speedy recovery.”
Cope joins former Lioness Karen Carney, Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison and Love Island’s Dani Dyer-Bowen, who have already been announced for the new series.
Podcast host and YouTube star George Clarke, former England rugby player Chris Robshaw and Olympian and Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey are also set to join the 2025 show.
Strictly, hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 20 September, with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas as judges.
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