Nadiya Bychkova feared she had been left paralysed after a fall during rehearsals for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing, the professional dancer said in an interview published Friday.
Bychkova was training in north London when she suffered a back injury that left her unable to move her left leg, prompting crew members to call an ambulance and take her to hospital, she told The Mirror in comments reported by the Daily Mail. "I was incredibly worried because I couldn't feel my left leg and I was unable to move," she said. "I was thinking it might be the end of my series or even my dancing career."
Photographs published alongside the interview showed Bychkova with her head restrained and lying immobilised on a trolley in a hospital corridor. The images and her account indicate medical staff treated her as a potentially serious spinal injury, immobilising her for transport and assessment.
Bychkova, a regular professional on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, did not disclose detailed medical findings in the interview. She described the immediate fear that the injury could end her involvement in the series and possibly her wider dancing career. Production sources and the show have not issued a public statement about the incident as of Friday evening.
The incident occurred during preparations for the annual prime-time competition, which requires intensive rehearsals and lifts that can put strain on dancers' bodies. Injuries among professional dancers and celebrity contestants occasionally delay planning and rehearsals, but broadcasters typically do not comment on ongoing medical matters beyond confirming staff are being supported.
Bychkova's account is the clearest public explanation to date of the circumstances that led to emergency treatment. She spoke of the emotional impact of suddenly losing sensation and mobility in one limb while at work, and the immediate concern about the implications for her season on the show.
No further information about Bychkova's condition or whether she will take part in the forthcoming series was provided in the interview. Representatives for the dancer and for Strictly Come Dancing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.