Strictly's Artem diagnosed with spine fracture

Strictly's Artem diagnosed with spine fracture
Strictly's Artem diagnosed with spine fracture (Image credit: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing's Artem Chigvintsev danced on last weekend's show without realising that he had fractured his spine, it has emerged. The 29-year-old, whose dance partner is Australian star Holly Valance, suffered the injury last Friday while rehearsing for the BBC One programme. But the injury was initially diagnosed as a strained muscle and it was not until Monday that medical results revealed the condition - a transverse process fracture of the lumbar spine. The pair's jive scored 34 out of 40 at the weekend, the second highest of the night, despite the pain the dancer was in. Artem, who won the Strictly Come Dancing glitterball last year with former EastEnders actress Kara Tointon, may have to pull out of this weekend's show. Former Neighbours actress Holly, 28, is now training with Brendan Cole, who could perform with her this weekend, after his celebrity partner, Lulu, was voted off. The BBC said in a statement: "Artem injured himself during rehearsals on Friday. "Following medical attention, he has been diagnosed with a transverse process fracture of the lumbar spine. "We have been told that this sort of fracture is completely stable and he has been advised that there is no untoward effect from him continuing to dance. "We will, of course, continue to review this following medical advice over the course of the week." Artem, who became romantically involved with Kara following last year's show, wrote on Twitter: "Thank you for all your get well wishes."

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.