Strictly’s Will Bayley tearfully voices concerns over his Paralympics future after injury caused him to QUIT show… as he hits out at Craig Revel Horwood for ‘stiff’ jibe when he ‘has no ankles’
- The Paralympic table tennis star, 31, announced on Wednesday that he had quit the show after suffering a knee injury which left him unable to train
- Will admits the first thought he had when he fell was about the Paralympics – which take place from August to September 2020 – and he has been in ‘agony’
- The sportsman has arthrogryposis in all four limbs, which resulted in operations to have his bones being broken and reset as a child
- He questioned one of Craig Revel Horwood’s comments about him being ‘too stiff’, insisting there isn’t much he can do about it as he ‘has no ankles’
Strictly Come Dancing star Will Bayley has tearfully voiced fears for his sporting future after he quit the show following a horrific knee injury earlier in the week.
The Paralympic table tennis star, 31, who participated in the competition series with professional dancer Janette Manrara for six weeks, spoke to The Sun about his worries for the forthcoming Paralympics in Tokyo next summer.
He said: ‘If I have to miss Tokyo it would be devastating. I’m at the top of my career’, shortly before lashing out at judge Craig Revel Horwood for calling his dance ‘stiff’ despite the fact he ‘has no ankles’
Heartache: Strictly Come Dancing star Will Bayley has tearfully voiced fears for his sporting future after he quit the show following a horrific knee injury earlier in the week
Will was forced to pull out of the competition after an agonising knee injury left him unable to train. He confirmed the devastating news on Wednesday’s edition of BBC sister show It Takes Two after tearing his ligament during rehearsals last week.
Speaking to Zoe Ball about his departure, Will struggled to contain his emotions as he broke down in tears during the exit interview, and went onto praise partner Janette for transforming him into a dancer.
During the emotional interview, Will admitted he was ‘gutted’ to have withdrawn from the competition due to his injury, adding: ‘I’m just really gutted we had such a good run and I was loving it, it’s all been a bit… It it was just shocking as well.’
Now speaking out about his pain, he admitted he is living in fear of his future in next year’s Paralympics, he said: ‘If I have to miss Tokyo it would be devastating. I’m at the top of my career…
Out of the game: Will was pictured on Wednesday wearing his leg brace before revealing the news of his departure from the show
Shock: The Paralympic table tennis star, 31, who participated in the competition series with professional dancer Janette Manrara for six weeks, spoke to The Sun about his worries for the forthcoming Paralympics in Tokyo next summer
‘I’ve played four major tournaments this season and I’ve won three gold medals. I’m the best player in the world at the moment…
‘So this is just massively scary to have this injury at this moment. It’s only just starting to sink in. I’ve got an ACL tear, so I have to wait six weeks and if it doesn’t improve I may then need surgery, which could be six months out. I can’t believe it.’
Will admits the first thought he had when he fell was about the Paralympics – which take place from August 25th to September 6th 2020 – and he has been in ‘agony’ with the injury.
Pained: He said: ‘If I have to miss Tokyo it would be devastating’ (pictured at Class 7 Mens Singles Table Tennis Gold Medal Match, during the fifth day of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games)
Struggled: The injury has caused him to depart the show and may require surgery
He said: ‘I’m so gutted. I was just in total shock. It has been a traumatic four days for me. I knew I had felt my knee pop and I was in agony…
‘I’m not going to lie, the second I landed and felt it I thought ‘Tokyo’ but thought I’d get some physio, rest it for a day, and be back dancing next week.
‘I can take pain, I’ve been in pain all my life, but I screamed in agony and the next day I couldn’t do anything, so alarm bells started ringing.’
Pained: He spoke about his fears for his sporting career shortly after emerging with the leg brace after his heartbreaking injury
Oh dear… As well as revealing his fears, he also hit out at judge Craig Revel Horwood for calling his dance ‘stiff’ despite the fact he ‘has no ankles’
Will – who has arthrogryposis in all four limbs, which resulted in operations to have his bones being broken and reset as a child – was glad the judges didn’t ‘feel sorry for [him]’ throughout the series.
Despite this, in questioned one of Craig Revel Horwood’s comments about him being ‘too stiff’, insisting there isn’t much he can do about it.
He added to the newspaper: ‘Craig said things to me like I should be improving, and I should have, but he also said I was too stiff. I mean I have no idea how I’m supposed to do that – I don’t have any ankles, so obviously I can’t do rise and fall.’
On the up! He came out fighting as he left the studio in jubilant fashion after revealing his departure
Pained: While announcing his leaving the show on Wednesday, Will was shown a highlights reel from his time dancing with Janette, during which he struggled to contain his emotions and broke down in tears
While announcing his leaving the show on Wednesday, Will was shown a highlights reel from his time dancing with Janette, during which he struggled to contain his emotions and broke down in tears.
He told Zoe: ‘It’s really gutting I didn’t want it to end like this, even if we went out next week or whatever I just didn’t want to end it like this.
‘I had so many positive things as well I want to focus on, I never thought I could do half the stuff I owe Janette so much, I was really scared about embarrassing myself but she really believed me.’
Reflecting on his highlight throughout the series, both he and Janette agreed that their contemporary performance is one they would never forget.
Heartache: ‘I’m not going to lie, the second I landed and felt it I thought ‘Tokyo’ but thought I’d get some physio, rest it for a day, and be back dancing next week’ (pictured while playing Paul Salmin of Brazil during the National Paralympic Day at the Olympic Park on September 7, 2013)
‘The last one we did was just so special it was just amazing, I just understood the dance and every single step meant so much,’ he said.
Janette added: ‘It’s not how we wanted to end it but we ended it on such a high and that dance is the reason why I dance.
‘We dance to touch people inspire people motivate others and Will is the epitome of that and his journey on the show goes to show that anything is possible and that’s the message I think we need to leave on this show.’
Touching: Janette then took to Twitter to share a tribute to Will, with a snap of the glitter-ball trophy they were gifted by a young patient when they visited Great Ormond Street hospital
Will also insisted that his disability had nothing to do with the injury, saying to Zoe: ‘It’s not because I’ve got a disability, it can happen to anyone, it’s just unlucky.
‘[Janette] deserves so much credit for what she’s done for me it’s all down to Janette she’s worked miracles, she’s not just dancing with someone who’s never danced before and believe in me when a lot of people didn’t.’
The pro then ended things by saying to her partner: ‘Like I said you have such an enthusiasm and determination in life, the things you survived in our childhood is itself a a testament to the kind of person you are.
Tragic: Ahead of Will’s It Takes Two appearance it was confirmed by Strictly bosses that he had been forced to pull out of the show
‘Thank you for putting your heart and soul into every single step and being one of the best partners I could have ever asked for on the show.’
Following their appearance, Janette took to Twitter to share a sweet tribute to her celebrity partner, alongside a snap of the glitter-ball trophy they were gifted by a young patient when they visited Great Ormond Street hospital.
Janette wrote: ‘I had to post this photo again because it represents everything that I feel right now. @willbayleytt will always be my champion! He came on this show to share a very special message & every single week through his hard work & determination he did exactly that.
Amazing: The Paralympic star had plenty of praise for his professional partner Janette, gushing: ‘I was really scared about embarrassing myself but she really believed me’
‘In my eyes, that is truly winning! You inspired so many & most of all me! Thank you for being so incredible every week & and giving your absolute EVERYTHING! I’m sending all the positive energy your way now for a speedy recovery.
‘And a HUGE thank you to everyone that has supported us & sent such lovely messages! I love you Will, & forever and always… #WeGotThisChamp.’
Will’s future on the show had been put in jeopardy when he fell to the ground during rehearsals with dancer Nancy Xu on Friday.
Media personality Will and choreographer Janette, 35, didn’t perform on last week’s Halloween special – where contestant Catherine Tyldesley was eliminated – on doctor’s orders.
Admitting he was ‘gutted’ to miss the show, he tweeted on Saturday: ‘Hi everyone, I am absolutely gutted I cannot be performing tonight on strictly with Janette.
‘Sadly, I’m injured and not fit to dance. I hope to be back on the dance floor next week. Good luck to everyone tonight. Thanks for all your messages guys, ill be back!!’ [sic].
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