Dennis

Neighbours star Stefan Dennis was forced to pull out of Strictly Come Dancing this week after he ‘tore his calf so significantly’

Strictly Come Dancing star Stefan Dennis has confirmed his future on the dance competition after he was forced to quit due to an injury. On Monday, the Neighbours star announced his departure in a lengthy post shared on social media, explaining he ‘tore his calf so significantly that he was forced to withdraw from the show’.

“I owe both the Strictly Family and Dianne [Buswell] a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife. (When my leg is better),” he said. Stefan – whose soap character Paul Robinson lost a leg in a cliff fall – added he was “gutted” about leaving.

Despite the blow, fans will still be able to see him on Strictly before the programme ends.

READ MORE: Strictly’s Dianne Buswell hits back at critics as she slams ‘conspiracy theories’ after exitREAD MORE: Stefan Dennis says Strictly bosses refused to save star over him – despite injury

“It’s a bit of a s****er, but I’ll be back at the end of the year, for the final,” he explained to The Sun.

However, it is not known whether he’ll be joining in on the group performance or if he will even be able to perform with his injury.

Meanwhile, Stefan recently confessed he felt like ‘he let people down’ because of the injury and subsequent exit from the beloved competition.

“I just feel like I’ve let everyone down,” he said to The Mirror during the Pride Of Britain Awards. “They all say I haven’t, of course, and the pros know all about injuries, but it feels like a shame to go out in this way.

“It was all going so well. When you go out, you want it to be because the viewers have spoken, because it’s your time, not like this.”

The news was a particularly upsetting blow for Stefan as the news came after viewers saw Chris Robshaw and his partner Nadiya Bychkova get voted out.

Stefan then revealed he begged producers to let Chris return to the show in his place. “I said they should keep Chris in now that I’m going but they said they couldn’t do that – once you’ve gone, you’ve gone.”

Two exits in two days could lead to just three pairings in the live final in December – provided no one else gets injured along the way. “That’s what has happened before I believe,” says Stefan.

Speaking about the severity of the injury, he added: “I thought I’d be able to carry on but they said absolutely not,” Stefan admitted. “The muscle needs complete rest. So that’s me done unfortunately.”

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Actor and Neighbours star Stefan Dennis has withdrawn from Strictly Come Dancing due to injury.

“I was told that on Saturday I had torn my calf so significantly that I am now forced to withdraw from the show,” he said in a statement.

The Australian was a contestant in the BBC dance show, partnered with professional Dianne Buswell.

“I owe both the Strictly Family and Dianne a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife. (When my leg is better),” the 66-year-old added.

The actor had only just returned to the show, after missing his week three performance due to an illness.

“I had a little bit of a turn, a little bit of an episode with vertigo,” he said during an appearance on companion programme Strictly: It Takes Two.

“But it was all OK, I made myself right again with the help of some good people at the hospital,” he added.

Dennis’s return, in week four of the show on Saturday, saw him and Buswell secure their highest score of the series – performing a Charleston to the song Dance Monkey by Australian musician Tones and I.

Strictly judge Shirley Ballas said Dennis had come “back with a bang”, and that he had pushed his limits with a difficult routine.

The pair are scheduled to be interviewed on Strictly: It Takes Two on Wednesday.

Dennis is best known for playing Paul Robinson in Neighbours, the longest-running character in Australian television history.

Following his first appearance in 1985, he went on to feature in 6,000 episodes across four decades.

Stefan Dennis has been forced to quit Strictly Come Dancing after suffering an injury, with the Neighbours legend’s exit confirmed in a statement on Monday

Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis has quit the current series of Strictly Come Dancing following an injury.

The star, who portrayed Paul Robinson in the Australian soap, had been partnered with fellow Aussie and reigning Strictly champion Dianne Buswell for the 2025 series.

However, during a breaking news segment on spin-off programme It Takes Two on Monday, it was announced that Stefan would no longer be taking part in the competition.

The revelation was also posted on the official Strictly Instagram page, where Stefan revealed: “This Morning, I woke up to the most disappointing day of my time in my Strictly journey.

“Just when I had finally gained the confidence to do well with my dancing in the comp and achieve more great dances along the way, I was told that on Saturday, I had torn my calf so significantly that I am now forced to withdraw from the show,” reports Wales Online.

He added: “I can’t tell you how devastated I am to have to leave so prematurely, especially, as there has been, and still is, so much love and support from everyone for both Dianne and myself.

“I owe both the Strictly Family and Dianne a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife (When my leg is better). Fun face for all the avid Neighbours fans… It’s the same leg!”

Pregnant professional dancer Dianne, who claimed victory in last year’s series alongside comedian Chris McCausland, also uploaded a tribute to Stefan on her Instagram profile. She said: “stefo I’m so sorry our strictly journey was cut short just as that confidence was starting to grow. But you can walk away with your head held high. You can go home to your wonderful wife put your hand out and say would you like to cha cha cha with me.

“the main reason for being on this show was to be able to dance with her and you can certainly do that now. You are the kindest human I have ever worked with and I can always say I got to dance with the iconic neighbours legend Stefan Dennis or as my dad calls ya Paul Robertson.”

Fellow professionals and viewers were left gutted by the announcement.

Welsh professional dancer Amy Dowden said: “So gutted for you both. Sending all my love and well wishes xxxx”.

One viewer said: “I’m devastated for you both but thank you for all the joy you’ve given to us!!”

A second said: “Absolutely gutted for you both but you should be so proud of all you achieved on your short but ever so sweet journey, I hope he recovers well sending all the well wishes and love his way.”

And another added: “Gutted for you both as it was clear you were just getting started.”

The announcement follows Stefan’s most triumphant performance on Strictly when he bagged a score of 26 out of 40 from the panel last Saturday.

Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

It was a week Crescenta Valley football coach Hudson Gossard will never forget.

It began with him having to switch from defensive coordinator to offensive coordinator after coaching changes. Then his wife had to undergo surgery. Then he had to take care of final preparations for Crescenta Valley to open its new stadium on Sept. 5.

“It was an unbelievable atmosphere,” Gossard said. “High school kids dream of playing on their own high school campus. It was something awesome, something special.”

Gossard was almost in tears after what happened before the game against South Pasadena. He said before every game he receives a kiss from his wife, Codi. She was driven from the hospital and surprised him with a kiss.

“She’s a saint,” he said.

Gossard went to the press box to call the plays just like his father, Dennis, who passed in June after some 50 years being involved with Crescenta Valley football.

Crescenta Valley ended up winning the game 42-21. The emotions and memories won’t be forgotten.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

1 of 6 | On June 27, 2005, Dennis Rader, the so-called “BTK” (bind, torture, kill) killer, pleaded guilty to 10 slayings in the Wichita, Kan., area. He was sentenced to life in prison. File Phot courtesy of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Dept. | License Photo

On this date in history:

In 1829, English scientist James Smithson left a will that eventually funded the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington — in a country he never visited.

In 1844, Mormon founder Joseph Smith was slain by a mob at a jail in Carthage, Ill.

In 1847, the first telegraph wire links were established between New York City and Boston.

In 1859, Louisville, Ky., schoolteacher Mildred Hill composed a tune for her students and called it “Good Morning To You.” Her sister, Patty, who wrote the lyrics, later added a verse that began “Happy Birthday To You.”

In 1950, U.S. President Harry S. Truman ordered naval and air forces to help repel the North Korean invasion of South Korea.

In 1979, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled private employers could give special preferences to Black people to eliminate “manifest racial imbalance” in traditionally white-only jobs.

In 1991, Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall announced he was retiring from the U.S. Supreme Court. He was the first African American to sit on the high court.

In 1995, the space shuttle Atlantis was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on a historic mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir. Docking occurred two days later.

In 2003, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission opened a long-awaited nationwide registry for people who want to block unwanted telemarketing calls.

In 2005, Dennis Rader, the so-called “BTK” (bind, torture, kill) killer, pleaded guilty to 10 slayings in the Wichita, Kan., area. He was sentenced to life in prison.

In 2007, Tony Blair officially stepped down after a decade as British prime minister, submitting his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II. Blair was succeeded by Gordon Brown and became Britain’s envoy to the Middle East.

In 2009, a top health official said the H1N1 virus, known as swine flu, killed 127 people of the more than 1 million infected in the United States. About 3,000 were reported hospitalized.

In 2011, a federal court jury in Chicago convicted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on 17 felony corruption charges that included trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after the 2008 presidential election. Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

In 2017, the FARC rebel group officially disarmed in a ceremony with the Colombian government.

In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled the federal government can’t include a question about citizenship in the U.S. census.

In 2023, producers of Wheel of Fortune announced Ryan Seacrest would succeed Pat Sajak as the host of the long-running game show. Sajak’s final episode aired June 7, 2024.

Dennis received a 17-month suspended sentence over a car incident in Australia which killed his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins.

Former Olympic cyclist and world champion Rohan Dennis received a suspended sentence over what was termed a “tragic accident” that led to the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins.

The 34-year-old appeared in South Australia District Court on Wednesday after an earlier charge of committing an aggravated act likely to cause harm.

Dennis was arrested after Hoskins, 32, was struck by his vehicle in front of their home at Medindie in Adelaide’s north on December 30, 2023. Hoskins suffered serious injuries in the crash and died at Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The court was told that the couple had argued over kitchen renovations before Dennis left their home and drove away. The court also heard that Hoskins had jumped onto the hood of the car during the incident.

Dennis on Wednesday was sentenced to one year, four months and 28 days in jail, to be suspended for two years. The sentence was reduced from two years and two months because of his guilty plea and he’s been placed on a two-year good behaviour bond.

His driver’s licence was also suspended for five years.

“I accept you have a sense of responsibility for all that occurred, I accept you have anguished over what could have been different if you had acted in some other way,” Judge Ian Press said Wednesday.

Dennis showed little emotion when Press sentenced him.

“Given your plea of guilty, your remorse, that you are the sole carer for your young children, and given all your other personal circumstances and the circumstances of the offending, I am satisfied that good reason exists to suspend that sentence,” the judge said.

The offence carried a maximum sentence of seven years in jail but lawyer Jane Abbey asked that her client receive a suspended sentence, which was not opposed by the prosecution.

During sentencing submissions in April, Amanda Hoskins said her daughter had loved Dennis “and I know that you would never intentionally hurt her”.

“I believe this is a tragic accident. Your temper is your downfall and needs to be addressed,” she said.

Hoskins’ funeral was held in her home city of Perth, Western Australia, and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February 2024. Dennis attended the service with their two children.

Hoskins competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics on the track in the team pursuit and was in the squad that won the 2015 world title. Dennis won two world titles in the road time trial, as well as silver in the team pursuit at the 2012 Olympics and bronze in the road time trial at the Tokyo Olympics.