STRICTLY Come Dancing star Janette Manrara has addressed the controversy surrounding her former dance partner, Paralympian Will Bayley.
Her statement comes after Will claimed that he suffered a life-changing injury on the show.
In July he suggested that the injury occurred after Janette encouraged him to redo a jump during their 2019 rehearsals – despite his concerns about the move not being safe for him.
However, Janette has now insisted that her and Will are still “great friends” and made an “amazing team”.
During a recent interview with Closer Magazine, Janette reflected on the emotional toll their unexpected exit from the competition took on both of them.
She said: “It was hard for both of us to have to leave the competition in the way that we did.
“Nobody wants to have to leave the competition with an injury, especially when we were doing so well.
“So of course, he felt frustration, and there were massive repercussions that he had from everything that happened on Strictly.”
Despite the difficult circumstances, Janette emphasized that her and Will have maintained a positive relationship.
“We are still great friends,” she shared. “When all that came out we spoke directly to each other. We know in our hearts that we were an amazing team and had an incredible time together.”
Will was born with arthrogryposis, which is a condition that limits the range of motion in a sufferer’s limbs.
He suffered severe knee pain during his time on Strictly.
In a clip that has resurfaced from the 2019 live shows, viewers can see the devastating moment Will was left curled up on the floor in pain after attempting the jump.
At the time host Tess Daly explained that Will had been injured and would not be performing that week.
Footage showed a medic providing first aid as the sportsman lay in agony.
In response to Will’s injury claims earlier this year, a representative for Janette told the BBC: “Janette had a great time dancing with Will and one of her favourite moments on the show was doing their contemporary couples choice.
“Her celebrity partner’s safety and enjoyment was always the priority throughout her time on Strictly.
“Janette has never received any complaints and has maintained friendships with all her partners, including Will.”
Janette has also recently been dealing with other Strictly related drama closer to home.
Her husband, Aljaz Skorjanec, has faced backlash following reports of a backstage row with a female colleague – which cast a shadow over his return to the BBC dance show.
In an appearance on the latest episode of Postcards Of Midlife podcast, Janette shared her fears over “the wonderful things” Strictly has done being “destroyed” by “very serious incidents”.
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Source: New York Post
