BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent suffers painful rib injury on Christmas Strictly

18 December 2023 , 15:01

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BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent suffers painful rib injury on Christmas Strictly

Sally Nugent has said she has been left "battered and bruised".

The BBC Breakfast presenter, 52, is set to take part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing's Christmas special. However, she suffered a painful injury while taking part in the festive episode. Sally took a week off from her presenting duties to take part in the dance competition, which has already been filmed.

Yet things didn't quite go to plan as Sally sustained a rib injury. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she revealed: "It's kind of like a Strictly boot camp but yeah it's fine, I've survived, bit battered and bruised but I'm ok." Co-star Jon Kay added: "She really is a bit battered and bruised."

Sally Nugent suffered the injury during Strictly training

Sally confessed: "I'm being brave, I think I've got the traditional sour rib injury." When asked by Jon if it has healed, Sally said: "Not quite. I'm being very brave, don't make me laugh. Don't anyone make me laugh. It hurts too much." The 52-year-old was one of the first three celebrity faces that were announced to be joining the 2023 special programme.

Her appearance on the show comes after she and husband Gavin Hawthorne decided to separate in May after 13 years of marriage. Sally has partnered up with professional dancer Graziano Di Prima and posted snaps of the pair. The duo posed on the steps on the set as Sally captioned the photos: "I was in need of a little pick me up when the lovely people at Strictly called."

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She added: "They kindly suggested I might like to learn to dance with @grazianodiprima in time for Christmas. I am definitely not a dancer - but I will try my best. And there is no one better to learn with. Join us on our Christmas adventure and I guarantee that we will all have fun along the way. Ciao."

Speaking about joining the show, Sally revealed: "I am thrilled and slightly terrified to be taking part in this year’sStrictly Come DancingChristmas Special. I'm hoping the judges will be kind - and filled with Christmas spirit. And I hope everyone watching at home will enjoy a little bit of Strictly magic on Christmas night."

Sally suffered a painful rib injury while on Strictly (BBC)

Sally shares a teenage son with Gavin. According to friends, they are said to be "moving in different directions" and decided it was the best move to call it a day. "It's very sad but they are no longer together," a source close to the pair told MailOnline this summer. "I think they tried to tough it out for quite a while as they didn't want to split up if they could possibly help it for the sake of their son but they clearly couldn't make a go of it.

"They've both been very guarded about the reasons behind their growing apart but it's been plain for a while that they had been and now it's obvious that they haven't been able to resolve that despite clearly trying for some time."

Mia O'Hare