Strictly dancer Nancy Xu has come out and expressed her disappointment after she was left without a celebrity partner for this year's competition. The Chinese dancer has confessed on social media that she is upset that the Strictly bosses have "overlooked her hard work and dedication" since joining the show back in 2019. She is among the handful of professional dancers who weren't chosen to compete in this year's contest, with the pairings revealed during the recent series debut. Luba Mushtuk, Neil Jones and Michelle Tsiakkas will not all compete during Strictly's 23rd series.
Posting a video to her Instagram, Nancy said: "Thank you so much for all your kind, loving and supportive messages. I am okay. As you all know I don't have dance partner on Strictly Come Dancing this year… I do feel disappointed. Coming from China and arriving in this country, all I wanted was to achieve my dream.
"Strictly has given me such a big platform to allow me to show my skills, show my talents. Of course, I felt this year has been left out but I'm good because I'm still part of the Strictly family. You may possibly hear my voice more than ever, I'll give all energy to support my Strictly family."
The dancer's co-stars and friends came out in droves to show their support to the star. "You are superstar, a beautiful dancer and so loved xxx," Nancy's Strictly co-star Amy Dowden wrote under the post. Meanwhile, Michelle Tsiakkas wrote: "We love you and I'm here for you my girl! We've got each other."
Dani Dyer's Strictly heartbreak
Nancy's comments come just a day after Dani Dyer was forced to pull out following news she'd fractured her ankle in a fall during rehearsals. In a statement shared on Instagram, the former Love Island star, 29, said: "I had a fall on Friday in rehearsals and landed funny. I thought I had rolled my foot but it swelled up badly over the weekend and after an MRI scan yesterday, it turns out I have fractured my ankle.
"Apparently doing the quickstep on a fracture is not advisable (!!) and the doctors have said I am not allowed to dance so l've had to pull out of the show. To say I'm heartbroken is the biggest understatement. I am so going to miss dancing with Nikita but will of course be watching closely and cheering all the couples on."