Her dance partner Stefan Dennis has been forced to pull out due to injury

Strictly Come Dancing’s Dianne Buswell has hit back at claims her dance partner’s premature exit from the show was related to her pregnancy.

On Monday (October 20), Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis announced that he was pulling out of the BBC show due to a calf injury.

On her Instagram Stories, Dianne – who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Joe Sugg – responded to a suggestion that it was related to her pregnancy.

The comment from a fan read: “To be honest I saw this coming, Dianne couldn’t really continue especially when she gets bigger, bless her. She’s a brilliant dancer and she is one of my favourites. Sorry to say but I think this was planned to keep her and baby safe, just my thought.”


Dianne Buswell’s Instagram Stories post (Credit: Instagram)

‘I sound like a broken record’

Dianne said: “I sound like a broken record but I’m seeing a bit of this floating around again! I know people say ignore it but actually why should I.”

She continued: “I will speak up… I would love nothing more than to keep dancing this week next week the week after that so so on and so forth. In fact I have more energy this year than I did this time last year.

“Please respect Stefan who is extremely gutted to not be able to dance and stop presuming this was a set-up! Because believe me we would if we could!”

Stefan’s exit statement was shared on the official Strictly Instagram page. In it, he said he was “devastated” to leave the show on the “most disappointing day of my time in my Strictly journey”.

He explained: “Just when I had finally gained the confidence to do well with my dancing in the competition and achieve more great dances along the way, I was told that on Saturday I had torn my calf so significantly that I am now forced to withdraw from the show.”

He added: “I owe both the Strictly Family and Dianne a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife. (When my leg is better).”


Dianne and Stefan on Strictly Come Dancing (Credit: BBC)
In a nod to his Neighbours character Paul Robinson, who needed his leg amputated, he joked: “Fun fact for all the avid Neighbours fans… It’s the same leg!”

He appeared to be in good spirits despite his Strictly disappointment, however. He looked happy on the red carpet at the Pride Of Britain Awards last night.

Dianne was cleared to take part in Strictly this year

Dianne, who called Stefan the “kindest human” she’s worked with, has dated YouTuber Joe Sugg since 2018. They were partnered up on Strictly the same year. In September, they announced that they were expecting their first child together.

Shortly after, she was forced to respond to claims that she shouldn’t be taking part in the show. “Look, I’m still doing everything that I did before,” she said. “Obviously with the lifts, there’s just going to be a bit more caution. But my doctor has said that everything is normal.”

Meanwhile, Dr Jack Ogden, a GP at The Lagom Clinic in Bristol, told ED! that it wouldn’t be unsafe for Dianne to take part. However, she would need “medical oversight, modified routines and careful monitoring”.