DIY SOS star Nick Knowles took to the Strictly Come Dancing floor with his professional partner Luba Mushtuk last year, but his stint was short-lived
Nick Knowles said “it was a “shame” to have left Strictly Come Dancing earlier than he hoped, while competing last year. The presenter, famed for his work on Real Rescues and DIY SOS, was partnered with Luba Mushtuk but was unfortunately knocked out, in favour of singer Shayne Ward and his partner Nancy Xu.
During the dance-off, Nick and Luba showcased a Charleston to Rain on the Roof from Paddington 2, while Shayne and Nancy delivered a Cha Cha to Sub Sub featuring Melanie Williams’ Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use).
After both couples performed again, all four judges agreed that Shayne would progress in the competition. Speaking recently, Nick reminisced about his stint on the hugely successful BBC programme and described it as a “joyful experience”.
He added to the Telegraph: “Yes, I’m built for rugby, not the Cha Cha Cha, but it was a joyful experience.
“Well out of my comfort zone – and it was a shame I had to leave early,” he added, before explaining that the show also sparked a major turning point.
“I lost more than 15kg in 10 weeks during training and I could feel a difference in the way I moved on my feet,” he continued.
Throughout his time on Strictly, Nick was plagued by various injuries, damaging his shoulder and knee during rehearsals. The presenter additionally had an operation to “re-attach” his bicep following a separate injury he suffered while replacing a tyre.
One fan questioned Nick (who’d been posting updates on social media) at the time if he would be able to participate in the end-of-series dance, but he responded that he wasn’t sure if his “injuries will allow”.
He elaborated: “I’m not sure my injuries will allow – I have to wait for the knee operation until the bicep operation has healed so I can use crutches afterwards. So I don’t think recovery will be in time sadly.”
In a separate update from his hospital bed, Nick mentioned that he’d just woken up from his operation, and that it “went well” after they “reattached” his bicep.
He continued to explain that he faced physiotherapy over the next two or three months and that afterwards, he should be “right as rain”, although it was “one down and one to go” on his knee.
In a heartfelt statement made after his departure from the show, Nick expressed his gratitude for his former Strictly partner, Luba, and apologised that viewers wouldn’t get to enjoy her “lovely dances”.
He stated: “Your creativity and hard work are awesome, and I couldn’t have gone on this adventure with a better partner. I’m sorry I couldn’t take you further into the competition because people should get to see the lovely dances you prepared in advance.”
You can catch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One this Saturday from 6.05pm to 8.40pm.