BBC Strictly’s Tess and Claudia address Nigel Harman’s shock exit as they announce show shake-up

As the nail-biting Strictly Come Dancing quarter-finals kicked off on Saturday night, eagle-eyed viewers will no doubt have noticed the absence of one couple in particular Nigel Harman and Katya Jones, as only four couples appeared on stage to start the show.

Addressing their absence, show host Claudia Winkleman explained: “Now, as you can see, we only have four couples. Unfortunately Nigel has sustained an injury which means he is unable to perform in tonight’s show and has had to withdraw from the competition.”

Co-host Tess Daly then weighed in as she explained: “We are as devastated as he is, but Nigel and Katya will be chatting to us later on in the show.”

Although the news will no doubt come as a blow to fans who were hoping to see Nigel and Katya dance all the way to the final this year in the hopes of taking home the coveted glitter ball trophy, Claudia and Tess did reveal one slither of good news for the remaining couples.

Claudia explained: “That means there will be no public vote tonight and no elimination this weekend.”

Before Tess added: “But the judges will still be scoring and those scores will be carried over.”

The duo then confirmed that the usual public vote would once again resume next week, to determine which couples would be making it to the all important final.

With Nigel and Katya now out of the running, only four couples remain, with just two weeks left to go to try and impress the judges ahead of grand final on December 16.

The remaining couples, Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola, Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin, and of course Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe will all progress to next week’s show, at the conclusion of Saturday night’s highly anticipated musicals week.

Much like the Strictly Halloween special and Movie week, Musical week is one of the most sought after and much loved episodes each and every season, as the stars take on all the drama, musicality and theatrics associated with some of our favourite stage shows.

From Beauty and the Beast to Wicked, Moulin Rouge to Dirty Dancing, viewers are in for a real treat as the stars take on the iconic tunes and dance for their place in the final.

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