A former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has said his time on the show left him with "injuries that still affect me to this day". Paralympian Will Bayley, who appeared on the show in 2019, was left in "horrific pain" after practicing a jump in rehearsals with his professional partner Janette Manrara. The 36-year-old table tennis champion told The Sun he didn't want to do the jump and his coach had also told the show beforehand that he "can't do jumps".
A BBC spokesman said it had "longstanding protocols for dealing with injuries if they occur and that includes contestants receiving all necessary treatment and support as required." A representative for Manrara told BBC News: "Janette had a great time dancing with Will and one of her favourite moments on the show was doing their contemporary couples choice. "Her celebrity partner’s safety and enjoyment was always the priority throughout her time on Strictly.
Janette has never received any complaints and has maintained friendships with all her partners, including Will." Bayley left the series in week seven after sustaining the injury, saying at the time that he was "gutted [his] Strictly journey had come to an end." He is the latest celebrity to speak out about his negative experience on the show after Zara McDermott and Amanda Abbington made allegations against their former dance partners, Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni Pernice respectively.
Speaking about the accident, Bayley said a table was brought out during rehearsals f.