Strictly Come Dancing star Stefan Dennis has been left unable to fly back to his family in Australia after sustaining a serious calf injury.
The 66-year-old actor, who was partnered with professional dancer Dianne Buswell, announced he was “devastated” to be forced to pull out of the BBC dance competition earlier this week.
Dennis, best known for playing Paul Robinson on Australian soap Neighbours, said his wife, actor Gail Easdale, had been left “pretty upset” by the doctor’s order for him not to board a plane until next month.
“I can’t fly for another two weeks because of the risk of deep vein thrombosis, which my wife is pretty upset about,” the soap star told the Mirror at this week’s Pride of Britain awards.
He added: “I just feel like I’ve let everyone down. They all say I haven’t, of course, and the pros know all about injuries, but it feels like a shame to go out in this way.”
Dennis reflected: “It was all going so well. When you go out, you want it to be because the viewers have spoken, because it’s your time, not like this.”
Ahead of his injury, the actor had been forced to sit out of the competition earlier in October after his doctor advised him to rest following a vertigo spell.
He and Buswell returned to the competition last weekend, scoring 26 points for a Charleston to “Dance Monkey” by Tones And I.
Buswell, who is expecting her first child with former Strictly contestant Joe Sugg, was forced this week to deny speculation that Dennis’s injury was a cover-up for her no longer being able to dance.
The dancer wrote on social media: “Firstly, we wouldn’t lie, especially about someone being sick. And secondly, I am fine. Yes I am pregnant, but I’m also very capable and feeling good!”
Buswell, who won the BBC dance competition last year with comedian Chris McCausland, said Dennis was “the kindest human I have ever worked with” and praised his growing confidence.
The dancer revealed Dennis’s main motivation for appearing on Strictly was so he could dance with his wife, whom he married in 2000 after the pair met while performing in a pantomime in London.
“You can certainly do that now,” Buswell said of the soap star’s dancing dreams. “Can’t wait for you to send me the videos of you and Gail dancing together.”
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