Casualty star Nigel Harman reveals why he left Strictly Come Dancing in emotional interview

By Lauren Hughes
published

Casualty star Nigel Harman was a favourite to win, but had to leave the show due to an injury

Strictly Come Dancing: Nigel Harman and Katya Jones
(Image credit: BBC)

Casualty star Nigel Harman has revealed why he quit Strictly Come Dancing. 

The popular contestant on the show had to leave the competition due to an injury, he revealed to Strictly host Claudia Winkleman.

It was previously announced by the BBC that the Casualty actor had to leave the competition due to an injury sustained in rehearsals, but this is the first time the actor has spoken out about the exit. 

He explained to Claudia Winkleman, “I was leaping off a rostrum and was about to be caught by some very handsome men and, as I flew I was Peter Pan and as I landed, I was in A&E.

"I’ve done something to my rib and it’s quite painful.”

Nigel continued to say that he “loved” his experience on the show, continuing "This really hasn’t sunk in. When I watched everyone come down the stairs, I was a bit like, 'Oh, this is real, I'm not a part of this anymore'."

Nigel's dance partner, Katya Jones, said in response, "It’s quite hard to talk about it, I’m not going to lie. I’ve absolutely loved every moment of us creating magic on a dancefloor. I hope you got something out of this that you’re going to cherish forever."

To which Nigel responded, "The only reason I'm standing here is 'cause of all the work you've put into me. You turn up every day with hundreds of great ideas, you challenge me, you push me, you support me, you make me laugh. But, most of all, you're just part of me now."

The official account for @BBCCasualty sent their messages of condolences, writing on X (formerly Twitter): 'Sending our love to Nigel Harman Everyone at #Casualty is wishing you a speedy recovery! You're welcome in the E.D, we will take care of you.'

Strictly Come Dancing continues next Saturday on BBC One. Check our TV Guide for more information. 

As for Casualty, fans of the BBC drama are eagerly awaiting its return, which is set to be before the year is out. Watch this space for full details on when Casualty will be back on screens. 

Casualty airs on BBC One — check out our guide to every episode for all the latest news and spoilers. 

Lauren Hughes
Freelance writer

Lauren is the former Deputy Digital Editor at woman&home and became a journalist mainly because she enjoys being nosy. With a background in features journalism, Lauren worked on the woman&home brand for four years before going freelance. Before woman&home Lauren worked across a variety of women's lifestyle titles, including GoodTo, Woman's Own, and Woman magazine. After starting out working for a local paper in Yorkshire, her journalism career took her to Bristol where she hunted out stories for national papers and magazines at Medavia news agency, before landing a job in London working as a lifestyle assistant.


A big fan of adventure, Lauren is also a keen travel writer and loves sharing tips on where to find the best places to eat, drink, and be merry off the beaten track. Lauren has written a series of travel guides for London hotels and loves sharing her insights into a destination's cultural and culinary offerings. If you need a recommendation on any UK destination, she's more than happy to help. At the weekend, you'll usually find her hanging out with her pet cat (or anyone else's pet she can get her hands on), escaping to the countryside, or devouring a good book.