Whittle back on the dancefloor after assault quiz
'Strictly Come Dancing' favourite Ricky Whittle will perform on tonight’s show after being released on bail by police investigating an alleged assault.
The 'Hollyoaks' actor was questioned on suspicion of assault following the incident in Liverpool city centre in the early hours of yesterday.
He was later released on police bail and a BBC spokeswoman last night confirmed that Whittle would compete and “the show will continue as normal”.
The actor walked into a police station in Merseyside at 5.30am yesterday, four hours after the alleged incident which followed a Hollyoaks party at Liverpool bar Parr Street Studios.
It is understood that the 29-year-old, from Billinge, Greater Manchester, left the venue when the party finished and headed for his car at around 1.30am.
It is alleged that, as Whittle drove off, his vehicle struck a photographer and left him with minor injuries.
Whittle’s former Hollyoaks co-star Ali Bastian, now in 'The Bill', also hopes to return to the 'Strictly' dancefloor tonight despite suffering a foot injury during rehearsals on Monday with partner Brian Fortuna.
The 26-year-old, who scored a perfect 40 from the judges for her Viennese waltz earlier in the series, is off her crutches and said in a statement that she would “give it my best shot” when she performs the Charleston tonight.
Athlete Jade Johnson has already had to pull out of the competition due to a knee injury during the dress rehearsal two weeks ago and actress Laila Rouass once had to stop mid-dance because of a sprained ankle.
Rouass, who fit enough to remain in the competition, said Miss Piggy from 'The Muppets' was her inspiration for tonight’s Charleston.
The 38-year-old 'Footballer’s Wives' and 'Primeval' actress said the glamorous Muppet was one of her “heroes”.
The contestants have been warned by Darcey Bussell, who will join the judging panel for the final three shows next month, that she will not be shy about criticising any mistakes.
She told the Radio Times: “I’m glad I’m coming in at the end of the competition when the dancers are less nervous about performing, because you can be much more critical at that stage.
“So I will not be shy about criticising them and saying ’That didn’t work. It hasn’t improved. You need to do a lot more work before you come back next week’.”
During the interview, Bussell, who moved to Australia after retiring from the Royal Ballet, brushed aside views that the axing of Arlene Phillips from the show was about age.
Phillips, 66, was replaced by 31-year-old Alesha Dixon.
“Age has nothing to do with judging – you’re not performing,” she said.
“Alesha is bringing something else to the panel because she had the advantage of having been a performer on the show.
“She knows what they’re going through.”
