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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Katie Rosseinsky

Strictly Come Dancing's Neil Jones to miss second live show due to injury

Strictly Come Dancing professional Neil Jones has confirmed that he will not perform tomorrow due to injury.

His celebrity partner Alex Scott will dance with Kevin Clifton instead while Jones, 37, recovers.

He was unable to dance during last Saturday’s live show after hurting his leg.

Scott was left to perform their Ghostbusters-themed routine alongside fellow Strictly professional Kevin Clifton, who had less than 45 minutes to learn the moves.

Time off: Jones will not appear on the show tomorrow (BBC/Guy Levy)

Footage aired during a previous episode of It Takes Two showed Scott practising the American Smooth while Jones, walking with the aid of a crutch, gave her instructions.

"I won't be dancing tomorrow, that's the real answer. I've tried but it's just not ready yet," he told host Zoe Ball, before promising Scott that he will be "ready on Monday morning."

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Ghostbusters: Scott and Clifton impressed the judges last week despite Jones' injury (BBC)

The news comes after Paralympian Will Bayley was forced to quit the competition due to a knee injury.

Bayley, 31, missed the Halloween-themed live show last week after a miscalculated jump during a rehearsal. He then confirmed on Wednesday that he would be unable to continue with the series.

The athlete said he felt “gutted” that his time on the show had ended prematurely and thanked his dance partner Janette Manrara for “believing in me and giving me the confidence to believe in myself.”

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“The things we achieved, from our couple’s choice dance through to the lifts in our salsa, will stay with me forever,” he said in a statement.

“I’ve had the time of my life.”

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 7pm on BBC One. It Takes Two airs at 6.30pm on BBC Two from Monday to Thursday and at 6pm on Fridays.

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