Singer Rachel Stevens says she is “frustrated” not to be skating in this weekend’s Dancing On Ice after reportedly fracturing her wrist.
The former S Club 7 star said she had not been aware of the injury at the time but acknowledged it was “the risk you take” while training.
She was due to be among the second batch of celebrities taking to the ice on Sunday.
Due to an injury sustained in training and on the expert advice from the Dancing on Ice medical professionals, Rachel Stevens will not skate in this Sunday's show. We look forward to her returning to the show next weekend @MsRachelStevens #DancingOnIce pic.twitter.com/1Gmt6n3nou
— Dancing on Ice (@dancingonice) January 19, 2022
“I’ve got a meeting with the consultant this week so fingers crossed. As soon as I get the all-clear I can go back on the ice,” she told the Daily Express.
“It is so frustrating but… it’s the risk you take.
“I fractured my wrist at the beginning of December. I didn’t realise I had done it.
“Healing time is six weeks really so I’ve just been following the advice of the medics.”
ITV said in a statement: “Due to an injury sustained in training and on the expert advice from the Dancing On Ice medical professionals, Rachel Stevens will not skate in this Sunday’s show. We look forward to her returning to the show next weekend.”
Our Class of 2022 are a dazzling bunch, don't you think? ✨ #DancingOnIce pic.twitter.com/gmi3rVFJr9
— Dancing on Ice (@dancingonice) January 15, 2022
Stevens, who is partnered with professional Brendyn Hatfield, was due to skate alongside fellow celebrities Connor Ball, Ben Foden, Liberty Poole, Regan Gascoigne and Stef Reid.
She will now make her skating debut in week three, the same week that Happy Mondays star Bez will rejoin the show.
Bez, whose real name is Mark Berry, took to the ice during Sunday’s live show, but tested positive for Covid-19 the following day.
Brendan Cole and Kimberly Wyatt topped the Dancing On Ice leaderboard last weekend.
This year’s series has seen Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse join the judging line-up, alongside returning judges Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and Diversity star Ashley Banjo.