Strictly's Nick Knowles future on BBC show as bosses issue update amid new blow

Strictly Come Dancing bosses have been left with "no alternative" but to delay a decision on Nick Knowles' future on the show until tomorrow as he battles an injury.

Strictly Come Dancing's verdict on whether an injured Nick Knowles will be fit enough to participate in the BBC contest has been postponed until tomorrow, providing him with the best opportunity to remain in the contest.

However, insiders suggest that the root of the issue is the very dance that led to his injury - the Charleston - which requires a great deal of leg flicks and knee action.

The DIY SOS star, 62, returned to the rehearsal room today and has been granted permission to perform the routine he had previously prepared for Movie Week last Saturday, the Mirror reports.

He and his dance partner Luba Mushtuk are hopeful that he can recover sufficiently to perform to Rain on the Roof from Paddington 2.

However, the Charleston can be particularly tough on the knees due to the constant twisting and turning - not to mention the notorious "knock knee" move often used for comedic effect in many routines.

The dance's syncopated rhythm, inverted knees, and wild arm movements can actually result in a painful condition known as "Charleston knee". One show insider revealed there was no time for a new, potentially less strenuous dance to be learned.

The source said: "The plan is to rehearse today and Friday and then a final decision will be made about Saturday evening. He is going to try and do the routine he'd already learned for Movie Week.

"It's unfortunate it's a Charleston because it's very hard to do without lots of knee action, but there is no alternative. Everyone has their fingers crossed for him".

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Nick was granted a pass last week due to being advised to rest his injured leg, but under Strictly's regulations, contestants can only skip one week for illness or injury before they must withdraw.

After resting since the previous Friday, the television personality received approval from the show's medical and physio teams to start training again today.

Luba has vowed to take it easy on him and has modified the routine to be as simple as possible.

With his participation in the BBC programme now uncertain, Knowles expressed his resolve to persevere and is "very hopeful" about performing on Saturday night. He mentioned that his leg is improving "a little bit better" each day.

During an appearance on It Takes Two earlier in the week, he commented that if he could withstand two days of practice, saying: "it's not necessarily the end of it".

In a message to his Strictly supporters on Instagram, he wrote: "I have to see how I get on - and then a decision will be made on Friday. I just wanted to take this moment to say thank you for all the well wishes that I've received and encouragement from everybody. And I'm hopeful that I will be dancing on Saturday."

He sustained the leg injury during the final step of his rehearsal on Friday, when he "leapt" to correct his timing after missing the beat. He explained: "My one leg stayed still, and the rest of me went through," which led to "a bit of a collapse".

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The TV handyman underwent an MRI and has been undergoing daily treatment since. After sustaining a previous injury to his arm while changing a tyre roadside, Nick has now experienced yet another setback.

He expressed his frustration, saying he's "sick and tired" of such mishaps impacting his dancing. Meanwhile, there's speculation that Nick's misfortune could turn out favourable for footballer Paul Merson, who the bookmakers are tipping as the likely candidate to face elimination this weekend.

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