It’s been a devastating time for Dani Dyer, who has been forced to pull out of this year’s Strictly line-up. The 29-year-old reality star revealed she was ‘heartbroken’ not to be able to compete in the BBC show after fracturing her ankle in a fall. The injury came just days before the first live show, where she was set to dance the quickstep with pro dancer Nikita Kuzmin, 27. In an emotional message on social media, the 2018 Love Island winner shared, ‘To say I’m heartbroken is the biggest understatement. I am so going to miss dancing with Nikita.’
Now, a source tells heat it’s not only Dani who is devastated – fellow contestant Vicky Pattison, 37, is also gutted to be losing her pal. ‘Vicky is distraught,’ we’re told. ‘Dani wasn’t just her closest friend on the show, she was her rock and safety net. They had been leaning on each other, so losing her so suddenly has left Vicky lost. The bond between them was real.’
The friendship between Vicky – who is partnered with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, 30 – and Dani has blossomed since they joined the show. In a joint interview, former Geordie Shore star Vicky revealed she and Dani had bonded over their nerves and sharing ‘a bit of gossip’ in their WhatsApp chat.
Vicky previously revealed she had placed Strictly on her vision board – sticking her head on a picture of 2017 star Gemma Atkinson. And a little bit of magic helped Dani, too. According to Dani, the mum of her footballer husband Jarrod Bowen, 28 – who she married earlier this year – is ‘a bit of a white witch’. Speaking about her mystical mother-in- law, Dani revealed ‘She got me manifestation cards and crystals. It’s about positive energy.’
And with Dani’s departure, we’re told Vicky is struggling to maintain that good energy. ‘Vicky feels exposed and it’s shaken her confidence,’ says the source.
‘Dani kept her grounded and gave her someone to laugh with when the pressure got too much. She’s going to miss her pal, and now Vicky feels she’s navigating the Strictly bubble all on her own.’
